Lauren's Birthday part 1

I'm saying part one because family could not come to her party she had last night. I would have had to pay a pretty penny for any extra bodies there. I rented a room at a motel, the Super 8, go figure, because they have an indoor pool with a water slide. then the girls stayed the night at the motel with Lauren.

As you can see from the picture, Laurens favorite color is purple. And Lauren loves watermelon. It's hard to find a watermelon in January in Medford! That was the first thing gone.

Lauren's party was a surprise. She was tipped of by a well meaning friend, but Lauren didn't know when or where it was. I had her aunt Melissa take her to her favorite restaurant, Mongolian BBQ, then to bowling before she was brought to the motel. When she got there all the girls yelled surprise. And Lauren was.

Lauren only got 3 candles blown out the first try.

After eating pizza, opening presents and eating cupcakes, it was time for swimming.
The girls only swam for an hour and a half. I so did not get my moneys worth. Oh well they did have fun.

After swimming, it was more eating, Then french braiding every ones hair, a game of Apples to Apples, jumping on the bed, and singing to music, then to bed before midnight. Amazing.

This was the last of sleepovers for lauren. When my kids turn 11, there are no more sleepovers at friends houses. So I hope she enjoyed it.

Next is the family party on Monday night. Lauren has requested ribs for dinner, so I'm glad it's an easy crock pot meal.

I love days like these.

Days like this don't come very often, but I love them. Bree woke up around 5:30 in the morning, I changed her and gave her milk and we sat on the couch watching the news. Bree went back to bed around 6:30. She has been sick, so she sleeps more. My day started off early, it was hard since I played tough volleyball till 9 the night before. When I wake up that early I get so much stuff done. The girls were gone by 8, by 8:15 I had taken a shower, done 2 loads of laundry, dishwasher emptied and loaded again, dinner in the crock pot. The hardest part of my day is deciding what to make for dinner. I don't like cooking, and Wednesday nights are busy with activity days and mutual, and to top it off, it's youth temple night so we need to be at the stake center by 5:45.
The tv has been off all day, not even Jacob has asked to watch any before school. So here I sit at the computer at 2:15, house mostly clean, (just toys around), 3 kids at school, one baby down for a nap, dinner cooking, and I already redid did my itunes play lists.
I went to LA for part of the week last week and had a wonderful, relaxing time. Thanks to my in laws who watched the kids so I could go. I had Good company, and yes I was with Tom, good food and fun. We went to Disneyland, first time without kids. We went on all the rids our kids won't go on when we come back next week. I got a sweet deal on a 2 room suite next to the park, with free parking and breakfast. Some other things we will do while there is go to the beach, go to Hollywood, per Taryns request. She thinks she will see famous stars everywhere. I understand the LA temple has a new visitors center, so we will check that out. and I want to go to the Griffith Observatory. I have never been to one, and the best part is that it is free. I don't know how relaxing this vacation this will be, but it will be fun. Can't wait to drive with 4 kids that far by my self. We will be stopping in Livermore on the way down, but I'm going to make the trip back in one shot. We'll see.

resolutions

I have never been one to make, let alone keep New Years resolutions. I'm not going to start now either, but I do want to make me a better person in the coming year, so I have decided to come up with a word of the year that I want to strive too. I have also made some goals also, but I won't kick myself if I don't keep them.
My word of the year is content. I need to be happy and satisfied with what I have. Not that I don't appreciate everything we have, and I know we are very lucky to have what we do. I have many conversations with my kids (Taryn) about what is really important in life, and just because someone has a large house or new cars doesn't make them happier. Those conversations are usually when she says we need a new car because our cd player no longer works.
Me being content with my life does not stem for material things, though a bigger house would be nice, I like knowing we can afford the one I have. We moved last year from the Bay Area, and I have had a really hard time with that. I have things I love here, but I feel like I'm missing the more important things there. My friendships were the best I have ever had when I lived there. I don't feel like I have made the same kind of connections here. I have family that I count on, but not the friendships that I want. I have a great calling in my ward and I love the young women, But I'm not involved with relief society all that much, I do try though. My kids go to 3 different school, but I'm not as involved as I want to be there, I play volleyball a few times a week, but don't have the connection with any of women that they do with each other. I have asked myself why I have such a hard time making friends. What I have come up with is I'm pretty introverted, I like my comfort bubble, and I think I come off as being cold.
I think basically this last year I have been waiting for what I had in Livermore, and it's not going to be like that. This year I will try harder at being a good friend, getting out of my comfort zone, and realizing that this is my home, so I better be happy with it.
My other goals for the year is attending the temple at least once a month. This is very doable since I live a mile from the temple.
I want to start an in home business. This is mainly for the tax deduction. My sister in law wants my to do scrapbooks for all her kids. I might start a that up.
I want to get our money under control more. Cut way down on spending. It's kind of hard when you have 2 households in 2 states.
So here is to 2011. Hopefully this is going to be a great year!