Straight or curly?

 I've having fun with hair accessories lately.  I made this brown chiffon flower and sewed a few buttons in the middle.  I'm trying to be okay with wearing my hair down, but if you know me, you know that does not happen often!  I like volume and with my thin hair that's hard to achieve when it's down so it often goes half up with my beloved bobby pins.

 Mikayla was having fun trying to take pictures of me.  haha!

 As a kid, my hair was much straighter, like Mikayla's, but it would curl up in humidity or get frizzy to be more specific.  Then, right about high school time, it started getting really curly and I learned how to scrunch with mousse and diffuse it.  I started to embrace the curl even though I secretly wished it was straight and often tried to straighten it without much success.

 I love long hair, but it curls so much better at this shorter length and I actually do like when it gets super curly.  I guess I'm just happy I have the type of hair where I wake up and say: straight or curly?  hmmm...  lovin' the versatility!

Surprise!

 I made a puzzle for each girl and hid the pieces all around the room(one puzzle, one room for each girl).

 They had to assemble the puzzle...

 yes, it was tricky on purpose!  And then they got the first clue: Megan's puzzle was a crown and Mikayla's was Minnie Mouse.

 Then they got a chain with 39 links on it and Mikayla started cluing in to something here!

 Thank you Kendra for destroying the puzzle, ever so helpful.

The last clue, since they still needed a little help!  I made matching Minnie Mouse shirts for the girls.  So, just to recap: a crown, Minni Mouse, 39 days, Minnie Mouse shirts....hmmm... that's right!  We're going to Disneyland!  We're so excited and they have been loving taking a link off their chain each day.  Only 25 links left now!  We're going with Trent's brother and sister-in-law, Brock and Chelsey, and their 2 cute girls, Paytin and Presley.  They also have Minnie shirts, so we should have some cute matching pics of all these girls from our trip. 

To help with behavior and obeying around here, we are starting up our marble jars again.  Good behavior that goes above and beyond being helpful or listening the first time with a good attitude, etc. earns a marble.  Marbles can be taken away for less desirable behavior and and the marbles can be cashed in for quarters before our trip so they can each have spending money in Disneyland.  We'll see how it works!

Ways to Keep Cool

 I saw this on Sesame Street of all places, since that seems to be the show of choice on tv lately.  We froze water in lots of different sized plastic containers and bowls.  I dumped them onto the patio in the backyard and they had fun building ice castles and towers.  Thank you Sesame Street for a free, fun activity for the girls!

 Another way Kendra keeps cool...she opens the cabinet, picks her Crystal Light flavor of choice and a water bottle.  Smart girl, knows what she wants and how to get it.

Apple slices and lemonade, awesome!  This is one happy girl.  This outfit gets worn every other day or so.  She looks through her drawer till she finds it and if it's in the wash then she checks the laundry basket for the "lello" shirt.  Cracks me up!

Sister to Sister

 Megan got this dress for her 2nd birthday and Mikayla got a matching one.  Well, 2 1/2 yrs later, now Megan wears the bigger one and Kendra wears Megan's old one.  I can't believe how fast that 2 1/2 yrs went and how stinkin cute they look matching!  I love that we can pass clothes down from sister to sister.

Kelsey's Baby Shower

 My bff Kelsey is having a baby and I couldn't be happier for her!  We have been friends for 6 years now, since our oldest kids were babies.  We taught water aerobics at the gym together, attended lots of BodyPump classes together, were room mom's at school, have kids the same age, were partners at Girl's Camp this year, and have shared so many very good times together.  I love her dearly and am so happy she's bringing boy #3 into their family!

 The cute cupcakes Christine made.

 I, of course, made her a wipes case, nursing cover, and matching burp cloths.  Love the colors!

 She's decorating the nursery in brown and blue and got a lot of it!

 Love these ladies!  We've had so much fun over the years, doing dinner, playdates, scrapbook weekends, girl's camp, hanging at the gym, and so much more.

 Right before we all collapsed into a laughing fit!  Poor John the photographer

I love Kelsey and know we'll remain friends even though we've moved!

I brought Mikayla with me and she had a soccer game that morning, played at Trick's Gymnastics center for 2 hours with Erik, had a playdate with Maren, and another playdate with Erik.  On the drive home from Sacramento she fell sound asleep!  I have no idea how she got into this position or how it was even comfortable--not safe either, I know--but she sure slept soundly!

30 Years and Counting!

My parents achieved 30 years of marriage back in May.  4 kids, 6 grandkiddos, and a whole lotta memories later, they're still going strong and looking good doing it too!  My dad decided a few months ago to start eating better and exercising.  Lo and behold, he's down 50 lbs., doesn't have to use a sleep apnea machine anymore and feels and looks great too!  He's got willpower like I've never seen.  If I bake cookies I will undoubtedly eat the dough, the hot cookies, and several more cooled off cookies.  He now sees said batch of cookies and says, "I'll just have one."  And he does!  What the?!?!  It's pretty amazing and he's quite inspiring to me.  I've enjoyed working out at the gym with him a few times recently and seeing him kick my butt in inverted pushups on a ball.  Very impressive.  My mom has also lost weight in cooking and eating healthier for my dad and they are quite the awesome barely 50 yr olds.

As impressive as weight loss is, 30 years of marriage is every bit as impressive and awe-inspiring. They do it well and are a great example of a loving couple, caring parents, and fabulous grandparents. 

Kylin's Surprise

Back in May, Trent took a trip to Michigan to visit his 2 best friends from high school, Kylin and Jessie.  I sent him with a camera for 4 days and said, "You haven't seen your friends in, like, 6 years.  Take LOTS of pictures!"  They went to the Ford Auto Factory, golfing, a movie, had a bbq, and all other kinds of activities-- and these are the only 5 pictures he took.  Oh the difference between guys and girls!  Here he is with one of Kylin's girls, Alyssum.

Trent and Jessie, who flew up from Las Vegas.

Trent and Kylin, the 30 yr old birthday boy.  Kylin had NO idea they were coming and when Laurie left to "go to a primary presidency meeting" he didn't think anything of it and just got the kids ready for bed.  When she returned from the "meeting" he was pretty surprised to see she had picked up his 2 best friends and brought them back to the house!  Speechless and just laughing, was how Trent described it!

Jessie and Laurie, Kylin's wife, making dinner.

Laurie very sweetly planned this birthday surprise for her husband and coordinated with the guys schedules, got Kylin off of work while they were there, bought plane tickets, and planned a fun weekend for the guys--all while being 7 months pregnant.  He sure enjoyed his trip and his time with his buds.  I think it's funny that all 3 guys grew up in Canada together, ended up serving US missions, and then married girls from the States, and now all live in the States too!