Lauren Loves {Groundhogs Day Edition}

Yesterday was not the best. I started writing a post about it and decided not to publish it.. oh man I was just whining and whining.. it felt good to get it off my chest but no body needs to hear/read it. Basically kids were sick and my 20 week ultrasound was delayed and I was sad.

The day ended well though. Dustin took the day off for the ultrasound and it ended up being good that he was home to help me with the kids. He bought groceries and made dinner. It was wonderful and I love him.

Today, yesterday was still weighing on my mind and I didn't like that. Today is also Groundhogs Day. Not a special or amazing day on any terms. Just a fun day. A day where, when you are in kindergarten you get to make silly hats and when you are an adult you get to watch Bill Murray kill himself over and over again until he realizes what life is really about.

And that's when it hit me. Its Groundhogs Day! Sure the year has started off a little rough, kinda crappy... but today things can be different. I can make them different. Even if I feel fat and ugly and the kids are sick, again. I've got it really, reeeeeaaaaalllly good and I need to remember that. So I've decided to just be happy and forget about the things that don't matter. Life IS good. It really is.

Instead of repeating the day over and over again.. because I don't live in a movie.. I made a list of things that I love right now, things that make me happy. Don't feel like you have to read them all. Some are funny, all are true, but they are for me.

Lauren loves....

That Luke carries three binkies around with him. One in each hand and one in his mouth, switching them up every once and a while.

Reading up on my Chadburn relatives from St. Thomas, in preparation for this.

This article about the Nelson family's performace and Mark's reaction to being called called a "little cowboy" --- "I'm not a very little cowboy, I'm a big cowboy!!"

Watching the kids and Dustin play Mario Brothers.

When Mark talks about his primary teach, Sister Boren and calls her "Sister Boring" -- although I would die if she knew that.

Allie's list of things for us to do on our next girls day -- eting, noo clos, crafs, nal pallish. Go to Mscet, Sajorj and Losfagis. (Eating, new clothes, crafts, nail polish. Go to Mesquite, St. George and Las Vegas)

Pinterest.

That five minute window you get in the mornings to snuggle with your busy toddler before they are really awake and into everything.

Listening to Allie play the violin.

Having Family Home Evening.

Freshly waxed eyebrows and girl talk with my cousin.

The beadboard Dustin just installed in my kitchen (squueee!) and the bench he is making for our entry way.

When Estefan and Mark create amazing things out of legos and line them all up in a big lego parade.

Croutons.

Feeling the baby move.

When Luke runs to me with his arms out.

and I even love that we're having six more weeks of winter because...

When Chekhov saw the long winter, he saw a winter bleak and dark and bereft of hope. Yet we know that winter is just another step in the cycle of life. But standing here among the people of Punxsutawney the Nelson home and basking in the warmth of their hearths and hearts, I couldn't imagine a better fate than a long and lustrous winter.

BING!

A Toy Story

A week or two ago, we took the kiddos to see Toy Story 3. They loved it. I loved it. Dustin loved it. Score! On the way home it got us talking about our favorite toys we had growing up. Dustin said that his favorite toys were probably his micro-machines. Remember those little tiny cars?

Well, I was undoubtedly a Barbie girl. And after seeing Toy Story 3, I think Allie might be one as well. Barbie and Ken were her favorite. You have to admit, they were pretty stinkin' funny. I think they may have stole the show from Buzz and Woody.

So I went hunting through my mom and dad's storage room and found my Barbie cars!

Ken likes to kick it in the pool. Yup, this hot pink limo has a pool in the back. Sa-weet!

Barbie's at the wheel with Barbie riding shot gun!

I also had a red Corvette. I know, right.

I'm a Barbie girl, remember.

Buzz cruises this hot rod.

Woody has gone missing though... I think he may have run away, back to Andy's house, I guess.

What were your favorite toys growing up?

Have you seen Toy Story 3 yet??

The Turtle Club

Do you remember that terrible movie Dana Carvey made, The Master of Disguise?
Dus, Meliss and I went to see it thinking, "Yeah, Dana Carvey! This'll be great. Party on Wayne. Party on Garth."
Yeah... not so much. However, there was a part in the movie that stuck with us.

The "turtle turtle turtle "part.
If you haven't seen the movie, please enjoy this clip:

I've decided that I'm going to start calling the first railroad bridge, where we fish, The Turtle Club! 

We've caught more turtles here than fish, by 100 times!!

Mark did NOT like the turtle. He said, "Gusting. Shoot wif gun."

This is little Dana Carvey

Turtle Turtle Turtle

Am I not turtle-y enough for the turtle club?

Estefan loved them. He wanted to take one home.

We did however catch a few Catfish.

Allie said, "Mom, look! My fish has a mustache!!"

The Turtle Club

Exclusive Members

Mark

Estefan

and Allie.

New Years Fun

We had a most excellent New Year's Eve!

Here is the low down...

Chicken Enchiladas ~ Four Layer Dip {didn't have the other 3 layers :P} ~ IBC Root Beer

We are party animals.

Where is this boys' mother? Oh- she's the one taking the pictures.. te he!

After our delicious dinner, Dustin and I headed out to the movies to see Sherlock Holmes. Muchos loved it! When we got home we actually stayed up til midnight! We rang in the new year watching That 70's Show. Good times. Good times.

** HAPPY NEW YEAR!! **

What Does Lauren Love?

Well hellooooooo my friends.

I am happy.
I have a fire in my fireplace, I just ate a cookie and the laundry is all folded.
My husband will be home from work soon and my kids are playing happily in the next room.

What could be better?

Not much!

I'm super happy about some other things too!!
Want to know what they are? Here goes...

in list form of course. Its just how I roll.

1. My Funky New Christmas-y Blog Look
I wasn't ever super happy with my last design. I'm not sure I'm totally in love with this one either.. but we'll try it on for size. Its colorful and fun. Just like me.. "I'm not crazy, I'm colorful!" If you can name the movie that came from I'll give you 10 cool points!

2. This Book

I am dumbstruck by the awesome-ness of this book. I literally could not put it down for a week. I cooked with it, I slept with it, I ate with it... and so on.
Its all about the missionaries who were called to the Hole in the Rock settlement. It follows about a twenty year span.. from the main character David living in England, working in the coal mines at age 6 to him coming to American, falling love and gaining a testimony of the Church.
Read it, you'll love it.

3. This Book

Do you have little boys? Do they always wake up with cowlick hair?
Well I do and yes.
In this book we find out how little boys get cowlicks at night.. well from a cow of course!
I think I'm going to get it for Mark for Christmas.

4. I sewed!!
Don't mention how crazy I look in this picture.. I know.. it was late at night.
See the cute little black ruffle at the bottom of this super cute dress? I added it!!
The dress was too short, so I fixed it right up! Modest is hottest, you know!

5. The Temple

Ok, you caught me... the dress is my sisters. I want it really bad though. I made it modest for her, so she could wear it to the temple! Ashley went through the temple for the first time last Friday and she's getting married tomorrow!

6. My Hair
I got my hair done the other day. And I loooooove it. I'm so blond. I joked and said I look like Lucius Malfoy, but after looking at this picture, I've decided I'm way cuter than Mr. Mean ol' Malfoy.. I'm just similarly as blond.


7. Iron Man
Yes, I think I'm the last person on Earth to watch this movie. But I thought it was really good. It was just the right amount of cheesy-ness and action mixed in. Plus when we were watching it Dustin looked over at me and said,
"What's that guys name?"
"Robert Downey Jr."
"Really? I like his Christmas music."
"BAAHAAAHAHAAA HAA! You're thinking of Harry Connick Jr!"
"Oh. Shut up."
(not the Iron Man)

8. This Movie

Speaking of Rob Downey Jr... I want to see this movie. Anybody else?

9. An Award

My super cool, hot mama blogging friend Connie gave me this fun award! Thanks girl!!!

10. This Picture

OK... so this picture doesn't make me happy but it does make me laugh!

I hope the holiday season is making you happy and not stressing you out!

The End.

Sense and Sensibility

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, is the story of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. In the first chapter Elinor is describe as having

"an excellent heart - her disposition was affectionate and her feelings were
strong; but she knew how to govern them."

While Marianne is described as

"sensible, clever; but eager in everything; her sorrows, her joys, could have no
moderation. She was generous, amiable interesting: she was everything but
prudent."

Thus the "sense" of Elinor and the "sensibility" of Marianne.

Upon the death of their father, their brother John inherits their home, leaving the Dashwood women homeless and impoverish. They find a new home, a cottage located on a distant cousin's property at Barton Park. Here the two sisters find love and lose love. They grow in their trials and try to balance out their senses!

Sense and Sensibility is a great book. Like all other of Jane Austen novels it is full of quick witted humor and satire of 19th century lives.

I also loved the movie! It follows the book extremely close. Five stars for Emma Thompson's screen play! I recommend both the movie and the book!!

HAPPY READING!!!

The Dark Knight

Whoa! I loved, loved, loved The Dark Knight. Dustin took me out Saturday night with Chase and Melissa to see it. Heath Ledger was amazing as the Joker. He was just the right amount of psycho. I knew that Harvey Dent was going to become Two Face by the end but seeing the good guy become the bad guy was so sad. And I can't say more about Christian Bale! I love him. He might just be my new secret crush! He is by far my favorite Batman.

Last night Dustin and I watched Batman Forever compared to The Dark Knight and the previous, Batman Begins, there is no competition. The new movies are in a whole different ball park. Just plain better. The old ones are still classic and you can't be without them but comparatively they're almost like spoofs - very cheesy.

I would totally recommend The Dark Knight to any adult - but I wouldn't take Estefan or any other little kid to see it. Big kids and adults only. It earned its PG-13 rating.

Bottom line - it was awesome!

Allie's First Movie

Last night I took Allie to the"sticky shoes" theater in Overton to see Kung Fu Panda. We went with Jessica and Grace on a double date. Grace did so good. It was her first movie too. But Allie wouldn't sit still, she had to go out to use the bathroom and she kept trying to sit in the sticky shoes aisle. Finally I got her to sit on my lap. Then I noticed her head kept bobbing. So I turned her around and she was ASLEEP! So we didn't make it through her first movie.. Oh well. I guess she does have some of her mother in her. We're not night owls! But I really enjoyed the movie. I love Jack Black, he's perfect as a panda. Its a total underdog story. He gets chosen to be the Dragon Warrior to defeat the bad guy, Tai Lung. And he has to learn to believe in himself and become a Kung Fu master. I would recommend it - but not for sleepy two year olds!