Sisters

My little sister Joanna and her family came over for dinner tonight. They are starting to pack their house up to move and I wanted to give her a small break for the night. It was so much fun to spend a little time with them. I think it has been at least two months since we've seen their family. Growing up, Joanna and I weren't very close. We kind of lived in our own different worlds, even though she was just a few yards down the hall from me. It has been nice to grow closer together as we grow older. She is an amazing mother and wife and has handled the challenges that life has thrown at her with grace and determination. I admire her courage, and I'm glad that she is my sister.

(Andrew and the kids enjoyed watching goofy songs on the net.)

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

Will and I decided to drop by the new Five Guys Burgers and Fries in the neighborhood and see what all the hype was about. It is always crowded, and we had heard good things, so I was excited for this tasty treat. We split the bacon cheeseburger, and as an after-thought, ordered some of their "famous" fries to accompany our meal. The burger came with grilled onions and mushrooms, which I was happy to see were included without an additional charge. (The burgers themselves are pricey to begin with. I think ours was somewhere around $5.99) The burger came out warm and juicy, but quite greasy. (The fries are even worse.) The onions are diced, and therefore don't stay in place very well. It was okay, but certainly didn't live up to it's reputation of "better than In And Out Burger." You can find a better burger somewhere less crowded.

The Birthday Girl

Ashlyn had her 7th Birthday this weekend. We spent the whole day celebrating. The morning started off with a surprise Birthday Breakfast at the local IHOP. Ashlyn had a smiley face pancake and fruit. We left everyone else at home so she could have some Mom and Dad time.
Then... the long awaited moment. We took her to get her ears pierced. She was so excited and so nervous. But her excitement won over, and she bravely sat still to get them done. By 10:30 in the morning she had declared this, "The Best Birthday Ever!" Then, she had a mandatory dance rehearsal from 12:00- 2:30. She really didn't want to go, but the idea of showing off her "new" ears and Birthday cupcakes for the class got her there. After dance she played with her friends for a while until it was time to go out for the family birthday dinner. The highlight of the night was Disney on Ice. We brought one of her best friends and baby Brooklynn. Apparently, my older 3 children are too mature to enjoy such outings.

7th Birthday Surprises!

Pajama Pizza Party!

McKinley had some friends over Friday night for a P.J. pizza party. As you can see, they made their own pizza's. Conner couldn't help but to join in on the fun! Pepperoni anyone?

A Perfect Day!

Today was a wonderful day. We checked the kids out of school a few hours early, and went out to the Draper Temple open house. It was fun to take my children through and explain the different rooms to them. It was crowded, but amazing. In the Celestial room I found myself saying, "Where's Conner?" Somethings never change! (don't worry, he was just on the other side of the room.) Then we went out to dinner at Texas Roadhouse where everyone filled their tummy's with good food. We ran home, changed clothes, left little Brooklynn with Grandma who was sweet enough to tend, and raced to Aida at the high school. I have to explain that our high school does not put on "High School Musicals" these are practically professional performances. The talent was unbelievable! My kids are all very familiar with the music and story line, and that made it all the more fun. Our dear friend Jordan played the role of Merab. He did an incredible job. He was very sweet to say hi to the kids after and pose for a picture with some of them. We all arrived home around 10:00 tired, but very happy. Ah, perfect day.

Gym workout attire update

I know, I know. I really should leave it alone. But it was just too funny not to mention. Recently at the gym there has been a very elegant lady, probably late 60's who wears the same thing every time she comes to the gym. That's not too unusual, but it's what she is wearing that has me chuckling. Imagine this.... a beautiful cream polyester blouse, long sleeved. Stone washed blue jeans that have been cut off at the knee,(frayed hem showing) running shoes and socks and to finish the look; nylons! Although it cracks me up it is nothing compared to my Mr. Man. That is what I named him. This cute old man wears a polo shirt, track pants and suspenders to hold 'em up. Too funny. I think that's part of the deal when you get old... you have to dress like a fuddy duddy. Hmmm... I wonder what I'll wear.

A hockey weekend

This Saturday we spent our time at the boys hockey games. Conner played first, and then we ran to another rink about 30 miles away to see Brennan play. Both boys played well, but it was to no avail. We lost both games. Here are a few pictures of the boys and their teams. We had a good time. Brennan has decided to freak his mother out, and will be playing for our High School team next year as a Freshman. He has been working hard, and can hardly wait.