Happy Birthday Lauren!

Our littlest girlie turned 4 today! It is hard to believe how fast she has grown. To think we have an 8 yr old and a 4 yr old seems wild. It seems like yesterday that we found out we were pregnant for the very first time, with Chloe. They are growing up before our eyes.

Lauren is such a little bundle of excitement. She loves to have fun and make us laugh. She has also learned that laughing can get her out of trouble. :) Smart little cookie. Lauren is having an official birthday party on Friday but she so wanted mommy to bake a cake for her today so of course I met the birthday girls wishes. She just loved that cake. After spotting several swipes off the side of the cake, I told her to keep it up. It is her special cake.

Mike was on vacation today so after Chloe got out of school we took the girls to see Monsters vs. Aliens. Lauren has been seeing it advertised and has been talking about it a lot. She really liked the movie and was all tuckered out tonight.

I have included a flashback photo of our little Lauren for you to see. This was taken on her 1st birthday. She still has the light up eyes when she smiles. What a sweetie!

The Shack

I am currently reading this book. I am impressed with the clean suspenseful storyline. One of Mike's friends from work sent home this book with him and told him he just had to read it.

Here is the synopsis per Barnes and Noble as I am not good with this sort of thing:

Mackenzie Allen Philips’ youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation, and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever.

Spring Break

We had a very nice Spring Break, even though the weather was a little nuts-o. It was quite windy and chilly, even snowing on Saturday. Who would have thought? Mike, the girls & I went to Mount Nebo and then to Mount Magazine. We stayed in a cabin at Mt Nebo and enjoyed the great views and the deer. We then decided to head on to Mount Magazine. We had heard about a Lodge there and previously tried to make reservations with no luck. We just thought we would head that way (about 45 miles from Mt Nebo) and check it out whether they had an opening or not. Lucky for us, they had a room. The views were beautiful when we weren't in the clouds. We had hoped for better weather so we could get outside more with the girls but they certainly enjoyed the nice room, pool and gameroom. They loved playing in the pool and it snowing outside. We would love to go back to Mount Magazine in the early summertime.

Mount Nebo





The Lodge at Mount Magazine

Birthday with STRIKE

My friend's little boy had his 6th birthday celebration today. He was so overjoyed that his sweet mom had Strike, the Natural's baseball team mascot come to his party. All the kids were really excited to play with Strike. Poor little Lauren was sick so she isn't in these pictures.

It was a great party. Happy Birthday Ty! :)

The Wedding Shower

My sweet nephew Dustin is getting married next month. Today we had a wedding shower for them. There was a great turnout and they received some really great gifts. We are excited for them and their future together. Crystal and little Abby are so sweet.

This picture was in their engagement announcement in the local paper. Aren't they sweet?

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I have to include an adorable picture of my neice Amanda. She is due to have her little girl, Ella, in May. She looks so beautiful pregnant.

Summertime? Not yet......

Some of the neighbor kids came over today. We had temperatures in the high 70's. We were livin' like it was 90 degrees. I think we are all ready for some summer sun. The girls wanted to play in the hose and I said "why not?". They had a great time.