Spring Fever

 

Waiting for carpool...  can't resist getting out in this beautiful Spring weather.

Ashleigh's First Meet

Ashleigh ran in her first track meet today.  I remember, almost like it was yesterday, running in my first meet in highschool.  Over and over, I keep asking myself, "Can I really be this old??"  I don't know how it happened, but it is mind-boggling crazy, how fast twenty-plus years have come and gone.

I'm so proud of this girl... and lucky that she is mine.

Not Forgotten

A sweet friend rang my doorbell this morning,  When I opened the door, she gave me a hug and handed me these beautiful tulips.  Annie's birthday is on Saturday and she wanted to make sure I knew that she knew... that she had not forgotten.  It means so much to me when people remember her.  Thank you, Amy.

In A Pinch

Hadley had a rough day on Sunday.  After she and Hayden had several run-ins, Cameron sat her down to talk to her about how she should and should not be handling her pent-up frustration with others.  He began by pointing out that hurting the other person is never the answer.  With a stern voice, he said to her, "Hadley, in this house we never hit, we never kick, and we never pinch..."  She immediately interuppted him and said, in all seriousness, "Yes, we do, Dad.  We pinch on Leprechaun's Day."  The teaching moment went right out the window as everyone (Cameron included) could not refrain from laughing at this funny, funny girl.



Our Little Leprechaun

Cup Of Dirt

One of our favorite comedians, Brian Regan, has a skit about the horror of science projects called "Cup of Dirt."  He describes waking up as a kid and realizing that the project that he hadn't even started on is due that day.  He says, in his desperation, he fills up a cup with dirt and hopes the teacher will somehow overlook his lack of preparation.  He then describes the other kids' amazing projects being brought in on flat-bed trucks and such.  It really is funny. Luckily (for Hayden and me), Ashleigh pitched in and helped him out on this one.  No cup of dirt this time.

 

Ocean Shores

Last fall, my best friends from high school and I talked about taking a vacation together.  Thanks to Jen, the responsible and proactive gal in the group, it actually happened.  On Saturday, we left our families and our busy lives, and boarded a plane (except for Marci, who drove and met us in Seattle) for a five-day, "nothing-but-fun," girls trip. 

As teenagers, we were known by our young women leaders as "the screamers" (we like to tell ourselves that this was a term of affection; the older I get, the more I wonder...).  After high school, we went our separate ways, and some of us even lost touch for a time.  A few years back, we realized that, while all of us had moved to different states across the country, four out of five had landed back here in Utah within a half-an-hour drive of each other.  We started meeting for lunch every so often and our friendship picked up right where it left off. 

 

We had so much fun on this trip.  I have not laughed as much I did with these ladies in such a long time.  Looking at the pictures, you might guess that we all live care-free, easy-going lives.  That is not the case.  Every single one of us have been through some really hard things; and when I say really hard, I mean really hard.  These women are strong.  They are courageous.  They are fighters.  They don't quit.  They are also kind, and generous, and optimistic, and happy in spite of their challenges. 

 

They are awesome.    

 

 

We spent five days in Ocean Shores, Washington.

 

 

Five Days Of Great Company: 

 

Clockwise from the top: Me, Andrea Faurot (soon to be...), Jen Swenson, Marci Daley, Jenn Stringham

 

Five Days Of Great Food:

 

We discovered Bennett's Fish Shack on our first night there.  We loved it so much that we went back every day (except Sunday) to eat there.

Yummy crab cakes,

 

 

and the best fish taco I think I have ever had.

 

 

We didn't get a picture of the burger, but it was also out of this world!

 

And, when we were back at the condo, there was no shortage of junk food (this is embarrassing, really).

 

 

Five Days Of Great Memories:

 

While walking on the beach one day, we found a single perfect sand dollar.  We decided that it would be neat if we could find one for each of us to take home as a souvenir.  It could not have been more than twenty minutes later, when we came upon what we now call "Jackpot Beach."  There were dozens, if not hundreds of large whole sand dollars spread all across the sand.  It was amazing!  We gathered as many as we could carry (I even stuffed my pockets full) and headed back to our condo with way more than the one we hoped to find for each of us.

 

 

One afternoon, we all ended up laying in this huge comfy bed and talking for forever (and leaving just a trace of sand behind... sorry about that, Jenn!)

 

We rented these pink scooters to ride on the beach and around the town.  It was fun and it was freezing.  When we picked out our helmets, the others made fun of me because I chose one that covered my face (in an effort to keep warm.... function before fashion here).  Cameron took one look at this picture and said, "well, they all look like Teletubbies."  Ha!  Turns out I was fashionable after all.  Everywhere we went, these gals were beeping their horns and waving at the people in town.  I just wonder if the locals could guess that we were not from around here.  I'm pretty sure we blended right in.

 

 

Shopping in this tiny beachside town turned out to be really fun.  We ended up buying these glasses when the shop owner said he would almost give them to us.  Mama Jen (if you remember, she is the responsible one...hence the Mama nickname) actually wore hers while she returned the rental car and didn't even crack a smile.  We, of course, were in stitches watching her do business in her crazy glasses.

 

 

One more shopping note:  Andrea almost bought a dead shark in a jar to bring home to her fiancé (for reals).  He must be a cool guy if he would be happy with this gift from the woman of his dreams, but  I was so relieved when she finally changed her mind.  Gross!  (In her and his defense, she said he would love it because his kids could take it to school for show-and-tell. So, he sounds like an awesome dad.  But still... gross!)

 

We spent our last day in Seattle.  We shopped and ate and thought about going up in the Space Needle (and then settled for just driving by and saving ourselves the twenty bucks).

 

 

When I saw this pig outside of Pike Place Market, I just had to give it a kiss.

 

And last, but not least,

 

Five Days Of Inside Jokes:

 

1/20th of the fun (missed by Marci on the plane ride)

Wut! Wut?

It's genetics (those thigh genes can be a bugger)

If we get too cold, we could always buy a log (for the fire)

Be nice and/or they might...("they" being the waiters at Denny's, or really, any restaurant for that matter)

Did we miss stuff?  (just woke up and still disoriented, but super-stressed about our non-existent schedule)

I thought I had a shirt on! (it is such a bummer when you unzip your jacket only to realize that you don't actually have a shirt on underneath it)

I would never...! (used as a cover for messing up the game; turns out it works nicely in lots of scenarios.)

Zumba: the secret to a happy life.

I don't know why I bother!

Don't get up.  I got this. (translation: I am more than happy to make your pancakes and clean this kitchen while you check facebook)

Yes, I have a "situation"...it is called my life!

 

Thanks ladies, for being who you are!  I can't wait to do it all again (and I vote for somewhere warm next time).  Love you all! 

Thanksgiving Point Clogging Competition