Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Simplifying!

Scuba Ethan!
Ben bought some wet suites for future boat outings...for now, if you looked in our yard you will see 3 kids and 1 adult (that would be Ben!) swimming in the pool with wet suits! It's pretty comical! At least we are getting year round use of the pool!


Sophia obviously doesn't have a wet suit, but enjoys the hot tub and the extremely mild winter this year. By mild winter, I mean 80's and 90's (and of course it's the winter I went on a sweater buying rampage!)
Isn't she getting big? The pig tails age her a bit, I think! She is growing up and doing a lot of new things, that include; talking, learning the names of her body parts, sounds that animals make and my personal favorite....saying "bless you" when someone sneezes. Her current likes are books, parks, going on walks, and swimming (with floaties of course!). Also ranked at the top is testing Mom's patience at an hourly rate, and getting into every possible thing except the mounds of toys that surround her.
Emmy and Ethan (could this be a more perfect picture?)
While it looks at though he is winking to say..."yeah baby look what I have going on!" He is actually pretending to be a spy (how that applies I don't know but that's what he said before he winked) and Emmy is checking it out! On that note, Ethan draws and creates cards every day that have Emmy's names written all over it! Her name is the only word, besides his name, that he can spell without help!
Our little missionary!
Ben found these awesome suits for a great deal! Ethan was with him when he bought them and he had the jacket on before he got out of the car, and the pants on as soon as he got in the house. A few minutes later I didn't' see him anywhere. I found him outside riding his scooter in his suit! I'm sure the neighbors got a kick out of that one. Probably saying something like, "look at the Mormon kid riding around in his suit!" Doesn't he look like a stud? Boston looks so old in his. I just pictured him passing the sacrament and it made me want cry! How fast they grow, but how fun to see each step. Such a double edge sword!


So there it is! Now I'm sure you have been asking, "Where or where has the Pribyl family been? Why haven't they been posting?" LOL Totally kidding of course. I can't imagine anyone sitting around waiting for our next post! Needless to say, life comes at you fast! We all have busy lives, and honestly, I can't say that I have been the best at reading up on others blogs as well. First, if your private, my google reader doesn't show me your new posts, so unless you make a comment on mine(which conveniently goes straight to my email) I often forget to check. Then sometimes my inbox for my google reader gets so full, and to keep me from being overwhelmed I admit I do quick scans and clear my inbox! I wish life afforded me time to thoroughly read all blogs and emails, keep my house clean, help kids with homework and all their other needs, volunteer at the school, make meals for all who need one, exercise, plan and make meals for our family every night, keep up on facebook, blog, watch my favorite shows, read, go to the temple, do FHE, scripture study, journal, do church callings, spending quality time with kids, spouses, friends and family.....and then get adequate sleep....but that is soon becoming impossible. A friend and I were discussing the other day how we seem to have less time to do what we want as our kids get older. How did that happen? I remember thinking, no fantasizing is more like it, about all the time I would have, to do whatever I wanted, once my kids were in school. I should have enjoyed those years and the free time that I had! I remember painting, doing endless crafty projects for me, my house, and the kids and still having time to watch all my favorite TV shows and read, go above and beyond in my callings, and all the other great things on the list above! Though things haven't gone the way I have expected, I'm learning that some things can take a back seat, while I attend to the best things! That includes this lovely blog. While it is a better thing, it's not ranked amongst the BEST things. It used to stress me out, thinking how I needed to update it, and it seemed to take up big chunks of my evenings! Now I have more time to relax with the hubby and watch our favorite shows, read a good book, talk to old friends, lay with the kids when I put them to bed and just talk about their day (the best child/parent talk time by the way) and journal in our personal journals. The blog can wait...And no one really wants to know my daily comings and goings, right?! People just want the pictures, occasional brief updates, or a "funny" that will make you laugh or make you realize that no one is perfect! Am I right? ......the personal journals stay with me!;) So here's to simplifying....until the kids are gone and then we realize how much they filled our lives! Hope you liked the shortened version! LOL

Monday, February 16, 2009

Picture "catch up"

So I'm still trying to figure out my MAC, so I'm not doing so good with the picture downloads. Eventually I'll get it. One thing I don't like is that Firefox doesn't let you drag the pictures easily, so I have to put them in first. Of course, I always forget to start from the most recent and work my way backwards, because that way they will actually be in chronological order when I'm done. Oh well....here is the past few weeks of our life in reverse!

Aubrie passed out on the way home from Disney! She always slept with her tongue like this when she was an baby. Once in awhile she reverts back to old times! Aubrie and Boston with Jessie!

Sophia not so sure of Tigger an Pooh, but least Ben is enjoying himself!
A little Space Mountain action. Boston liked to pretend he was passed out for the "ride" pictures for some reason. What a comedian!
Aubrie and Sophia on the tram, Saturday night! LOVE this picture and this moment! So sweet!

Sophia at the Muppet 3-D show! Cute picture...awful show! Don't waste your time!

The boys couldn't resist this Kodak moment!

The whole crew by good ole Mater and...oh my heavens...I forgot the red cars name! So losing it. Sure it will come to me when I post this!

The boys goofing off, while waiting for Dad to ride the Maliboomer!

Ben, Alex, and Marco.....Aubrie is DYING to be a few inches taller!
Waterlogged!
Insane from the rain!
More Space Mountain!
And to show how far back in pictures I am....a few from Aubrie's field trip to Lake Pleasant. They looked at the bugs (from the Lake Pleasant water....comforting I know!) under a microscope and then drew them on the whiteboard. They also learned about rocks and went on a hike and learned more about the area! Luckily it turned out to me a nice cool day!

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Soggy Disney, the covered burp

Rachel and I have been super busy lately and blogging took a back seat. We have been very busy as a family. Between Aubrie's dance, piano, and school we have been running all over the place. We decided to head off to disney for a surprise for the kids. We pulled the kids out of school on Thursday and headed off to disney. The kids were very excited and we had a great trip out. We went with the Lorenzana Family and followed each other out. We stopped in Palm Springs at the McDonalds and let the kids stretch their legs and play on the play place. We piled back into the cars and made the rest of the trip driving through overcast skies. We got to the hotel and their was a lite drizzle. We were worried that there might be alot of rain. The kids got out of the car and were all very excited to get into the hotel. We had rooms right next to each other and the kids loved going back and forth the whole time that we were there. We all went to bed pretty quick the first night. Sophia had a hard time and discovered that she could get out of her portable crib and rather enjoyed it. She finally went to bed and the other kids started to wind down. We woke up the next morning and had powdered donuts and other food that is not good for you. We made sandwhiches this time and took food into the park. We had not done that before and it actually worked out much better. It was raining a little bit as we got on the shuttle for the park. We got to the park and got onto a few rides before it started to pour. Within minutes we were all soaked and miserable. We decided to head back to the hotel. Sophia was done and the kids didn't seem to care. We brought the psp and the nintendo ds so the boys were happy to go back to the hotel and play video games. The bus ride back was miserable, but it was nice to get back to the hotel and relax and change into dry clothes. I took the kids down to the pool and they had a great time playing in the rain and running around. Sophia got a good nap and Rachel was able to rest a little as well. The Lorenzana's came back a little bit later and we all headed to dinner. We went to Outback and had a great dinner. I told the waiter that it was Ethan's birthday and they sang to him. He really thought that it was awesome. We headed back to the hotel and had another night of the kids running back and forth and having a fun time. The next day at Disney was better. The weather was off and on, but we were able to have a full day and have a great time. The kids got to ride all the rides and Ethan got back on Tower of Terror and had a good time. He told me at the end of the ride that his heart was going BEEP BEEP. He wasn't too sure about it, but ended up going another few times.
We decided to go back Sunday morning and get a few more rides in before heading back. It was fun and we enjoyed the time together. We got onto Space Mountain and Aubrie had a great time, but forgot her purse on the ride. We didn't discover this until 10 minutes after we got off the ride. I ran back to the ride and went right up to the ride operator. They said that they would look for the purse. I waited and they came back and told me that they did not have any purse. I told them that I would check back later. Aubrie was devistated. We decided that we were going to leave so I ran back to Space Mountain. I got there and they looked again. They brought her purse out. The money that she had saved up was all gone, her glasses were broken and her change purse was also gone. Aubrie was very upset and couldn't understand why someone would do that. On the way out of the park we stopped at the store to get some things. One of the workers noticed that Aubrie was sad and asked what had happened. We told her the story and she asked us if we would like her help. I was not sure what she was asking. She asked me again if I would like her help. I told her yes and she started to walk around the store and replace the things that had been stolen or broken in Aubrie's purse. I could not believe what this woman was doing for Aurbie. She told us not to tell anyone what she had done. I was very happy to see that there is still kindness in this world and that people still care. Aubrie was very happy to have her things back and thanked the woman. The boys were watching all of this and were wondering if they could somehow benefit from Aubrie's misfortune. One of the other ladies decided to give them buttons. Boston decided that this was a trophy and proudly held up his button for all to see. We got out of the park and headed back to the hotel. We got in the car and then headed back home. The trip was great and it seems to get easier every time that we make it.
This week went very quickly. I have been working very hard to get caught up on all of my accounts knowing that I will be gone this next week for training for the new company that we will be starting shortly. Marco and I will have a fun time getting the crash course. We are both very excited. We are going to miss our families like crazy, but it will be well worth it. Today we got a lot done around the house. I took Ethan with me to Sams Club and noticed that they had wet s suits on sale. I bought some for the family and we had fun swimming in the pool and not getting totally killed by the cold water. Tonight I had a soccer game and Rachel brought the kids to watch. We had a great game and won 9-3. I was able to play and had a fun time with the kids watching. On the way home Ethan started yelling and told Rachel that he had finally burped and remembered to cover his mouth. We thought that it was pretty funny and we all got a good chuckle. We are doing well as a family and are very grateful for the gospel and the blessings that we enjoy.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Tagged

Ok....Erin tagged me with this "25 things random things about you" ! What she doesn't know is that I already did this on Facebook.....so Erin...you need to join Facebook already!:) But here you go Erin, and for anyone else who hasn't joined the world of Facebook! Have fun reading about me!
1. Surprised I'm doing this because I'm not good at this type of thing! Ben could probably do a better job at thinking of 25 things about myself. However, I hate to disappoint, so here I am!
Wait does that count for two things about me? LOL

2. Always said I would have to know someone at least a year before I married them. I met my husband, and was engaged in 3 weeks, and married in 5 months. We will be married for 13 years in April! Marriage is definitely a roller coaster, full of ups and downs, but I couldn't imagine taking the ride with anyone else, and glad that we are there to hold each others hand throughout the ride! He is an amazing Father, priesthood leader, and friend! He loves me despite my insecurities, idiosyncrasies, and weaknesses!

3. I was married on my birthday and had my first child on my birthday. Obviously the wedding was planned, but I went into labor as the clock struck 12:00 on April 26th! BTW that was my due date!

4. I gave up my dream of being a Doctor, for a better one....being a stay at home Mom of 4 children (sometimes 5 when my husband is behaving like one). Two amazing boys and two beautiful girls! Most times I LOVE my job and other times I want feel like taking a sabbatical! There is definitely no greater accomplishment than that of a parent!

5. I HATE clutter! I wish I could relax a little more when it comes to it, but things just sitting around drive me crazy, and I'm sure I drive my kids Crazy, constantly nagging them to pick up their stuff! I love using containers to organize stuff! If I can use a container to organize it, I'm all over it! If I can't find a good place for something, I usually throw it away or give it away! I'm not a fan of nick knacks!

6. I actually have accomplished something I never thought possible. Not a big deal for any other person, but for me it's huge! I HATED running! People would ask me to run with them, and I would just laugh! I had the worst running asthma and my knees would hurt. I would run a mile and would wimp out! Now I'm up to 4 miles and my goal is a half marathon!

7. When I tell someone I'm going to do something, they can count on me doing it! (Therefore I guess I'll be running that half marathon! L0L) Actually, I meant more along the lines of when I tell them I'll do something for them, I"ll follow through. That also means being there when a friend needs you, even if they don't ask for it!

8. I tend to stress out a little over a busy schedule, but feel a little weird when I don't have anything going on! It's hard for me to just sit there and not stay busy, unless I am sleeping! The other night I had to force myself to just sit and watch a movie with my daughter, though I so badly wanted to get on my computer, sweep my kitchen floor, fold some laundry and look through a magazine!

9. Sometimes I submerse myself in hobbies so much, I get burnt out on things easily! I used to love scrap booking and spent hours and hours doing that. Then it was photography, then cake decorating, then jewelry making! Now it's blogging and facebooking! (blogging is actually fading)

10. I love staying in touch with people! I don't expect to talk or email often, just a few times a year will do me! I like people knowing that I think about them and that they are important to me, and vice versa! I like the quote "friends are the family you choose". So many of our friends are like family. My best friends aren't always the ones I talk to the most, but the ones that I know will be there for me in a second if I ever needed anything and would never judge me!

11. On that note I love spoiling people! I LOVE birthdays...and thinking of birthday and Christmas gifts! If I see something that is perfect for someone I'll buy it and save it for a holiday, and sometimes I can't wait and will give it to them anyway!

12. I am a "textaholic"! I wish that invention came out earlier! I love being able to communicate in a way that doesn't leave you with that awkward, "well....ok....guess I'll talk to you later!" Sometimes phone conversations are great! But for the most part, a quick text can let someone know you are thinking about them, or allows you to get some quick information without making someone feel like they need to talk to you for 15 minutes! It's also at your convenience, which is great when you having a screaming child on your leg!

13. I love my religion! (I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) It is such a great support in my life! It gives me and my family a sense of direction and purpose. The things I believe in have influenced some important decisions in my life, and have kept me out of trouble several times over! It also has been a great strength through the hard times! I love the teachings and strong value system it provides for my children , especially with all that is thrown at them at such a young age! I love that my family is an eternal! The thought of ever believing of no life after death is depressing and hopeless! Especially for those who have lost a loved one! I'm so glad to know we will can be together forever!

14. I'm can be a little nerdy at times! I liked collecting the State quarters, and would get excited when I found a new one! I like Star Wars and wish I could pick Lucas's brain with some unanswered questions! I also like watching medical shows and shows on the Disney channel!

15. I am a HUGE 80's fan! I love the Brat Pack Movie (ie. Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, Breakfast Club), Karate Kid, Back to the Future, etc. I also LOVE 80's music! My kids know more 80's songs than they should! Unbelievably, I have started liking the 80's clothes again! Not on me, but on my daughter!

16. I love to travel! I get very antsy if we haven't gone somewhere in over a couple of months! (I think it may have to do with my Dad getting transferred a lot as a young child!) It doesn't matter where we go! As long as it requires us packing a suitcase! I just like to explore new places, and also return to places that I love! Right now our most frequently traveled spot is Disneyland! I'm sure that will change in about 5 years! I love cruises, and would take one every year if I could!

17. Speaking of Disneyland, I am a amusement park junkie! I LOVE roller coasters! I can't wait till my kids are older and I can take a family vacation to Cedar Point! (the best amusement park in the US!) I always scream as I am going down the first hill of a roller coaster, and laugh the rest of the way! (there is the nerdy part of me again!)

18. I love to sing and dance, but would never do either in public! I love blasting the ipod and dancing around the family room and LOVE singing in the car...and now, so do my children! My favorite songs to sing to are show tunes!

19. If I could be anything, besides a full time mother, I would want to be a pediatrician during the day/ and play the lead of Alphaba in the play, Wicked, by night!! (Nerdy! right?)

20. ( I still have 6 to go? really!) Ok...hmmm...I'm an impulse shopper! If I think I could use it, and the price is right, it goes in the cart! You would think I would do better since I HATE returns...but, No!

21. I"m a creature of comfort! I buy cute clothes at the store and like how they look on me, but when I get ready in the morning, I'm always going for those comfy broken in jeans, and comfy cotton shirt! Therefore, you would find several thing in my closet with tags still on them!

22. I love cute aprons! I love feeling uninhibited when I work in the kitchen or clean around the house! I have been known to accidentally leave the house in one, without knowing of course. I also love cute slippers. I hate walking bare foot on the cold hard tile, which is unavoidable in Arizona, but I hate wearing shoes! I have also worn my slippers out on accident! Good thing they are cute!

23. Because I hate wearing shoes, most of my shoes are flip flops! I even wear them to church, which, luckily, is a very common thing here in Arizona! It's painful for me to go shoe shopping, because nothing seems to look right since I'm always wearing flip flops! Finding boots this year was torture!

24. I hate conflict! I avoid it when ever possible, but when it's something that is important to me, I will meet it head on and fight for what I believe. Most people don't know how to deal with me when that happens, because I usually go with the flow and come across as sweet and passive....little do they know! Hee! Hee!

25. I have to check on my kids EVERY night, and kiss each of them before I go to bed! Each time I do that, I get so overwelhmed at how lucky I am to have them, and wish I could just stop them from growing, just for a bit!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

The Talk, Little Strippers, The Monster Truck Rally, and Pooh Pooh

It has been a while since I have posted so here it goes. I am sure that Rachel is cringing somewhere worried that she has not reviewed this before it goes out. This past weekend was Aubrie's first dance competition. Rachel was up at the butt crack o dawn to get Aubrie ready for the show. 5:50 a.m. was the wake up call and the curlers were flying and makeup was being applied. I tried to sleep as best I could, but the light got the best of me. I finally rolled out of bed around 6:15 a.m. and we were off for the competition by 6:45 a.m. We had a great time chatting. Aubrie looks up at me and asks if A S S is the same thing as S E X! I almost drove into oncoming traffic! I knew that this little talk was coming, but figured that Rachel would surely get to field this question and have a nice little chat lady to lady. I cleared my throat, said a quick prayer and then let loose. It was actually really cool. The spirit really helped to guide me in what to say. I explained the whole process without getting too graphic and I think that she really got it (I think I said PRIVATES 300 times!) At the end of the chat Aubrie looked up at me and said, "That sounds wonderful!" Again, I almost plowed into oncoming traffic! I went back and explained that it was a very wonderful thing, but made sure that she understood that it was for a married man and woman. I swear what little hair I have left is either grey or looking to join the rest of my hair!
We pulled up to the event and Aubrie was ready to go. I could tell that she was nervous as this was her first time. We got inside and settled in. Aubrie took off to be with her group and primp and do whatever else 8-year-old girls do. I sat back in my chair and pulled out my PSP and started to watch movies, play games before the event started. The announcer came on and welcomed everyone and the show got under way. The first group came out and did their dance and everyone thought it was wonderful. The next group came out and I finally understood what it felt like to be in a strip club. Little 8 and 9-year-old girls dressed in next to nothing strutted out onto the floor and started shaking and gyrating. I guess I forgot to pay the cover charge. I felt very uncomfortable and did my best to not watch and not make a scene. I was glad when that act ended. The next act came out and what do you know? Little strippers! I was blown away! Seriously! What in the world are these parents thinking? I heard some moms saying how cute their little bodies were and how well they danced?! All they were missing was dark lighting and stripper poles! I am so glad that Aubrie is in the studio that she is. If she had come out in a little stripper outfit I would have had a heartattack and then pulled her off the stage and left. I was glad to get out of there! Aubrie's team ended up winning high gold, whatever that is. They were all very happy.
That same evening the boys and I went to a monster truck rally at Chase Field. It was quite the event. The boys thought that we were going to see a "shooter movie". When they found out that we were going to a monster truck rally they got excited even though they had no idea what it was. We got down to the stadium with Marco and Alex Lorenzana and started to make are way in. Those trucks are loud. You could hear them clearly two blocks away. As we got into the stadium the boys had a panicked look in their faces and the noise was very loud. I got the ear plugs out and put them in. The plugs kept falling out and the boys weren't very happy. We got down to our seats and were on the front row. The event started and the boys were pretty scarred. Ethan kept telling me that his heart was going beep beep. I had to take him up and into the concourse to settle him down. He eventually calmed down and enjoyed the show. I don't really understand the appeal of the whole Monster Truck Rally. It was fun and the boys enjoyed watching the big trucks smash and crash. We ate Nachos and got sick on candy and headed home. We got home around 11:00 p.m. and they had not trouble getting to sleep.
This has been a crazy couple of weeks. Work has been keeping me very busy as I am working to get caught up and then ahead as I get ready for this new company. I am very excited for the new company and know that it is going to do very well. Sophia is really starting to grow. It is hard for Rachel and I to watch her start to do things since she will be our last baby. This week she really started to throw out words. Among them of course is the family favorite....Pooh Pooh! Everytime she says it the kids laugh and she gets a big kick out of it. She still loves to walk around the house saying MOM and DAD. She loves me very much and that makes me so happy. As soon as I get home from work she runs to me with her little arms wide open squealing! It is the greatest thing in the world. I am very fortunate and blessed to have the wife and children that I have.
Rachel is doing well. It is amazing what a difference good friends make. Rachel has some wonderful friends that are really helpful and uplifting and I appreciate all that they do for her. Rachel has started to run regularly and she is becoming quite the athlete. She is now running at least 3.5 miles 3 times a week. She will get up MWF around 6:00 a.m. and head out. Sometimes they will leave from our house and other times they will leave from other locations. I am so proud of Rachel and the dedication she is showing toward running. She is a great example to me. Now if I could only follow her lead! I think that she is planning to run a half marathon sometime in the future. She is awesome!
Life is crazy, but good. I know that Satan wants us to spend our time dwelling on our weaknesses, but we are supposed to focus on the positive and improve on the areas where we need the help. Hopefully I did not embarrass anyone with my entry! Seriously though....Little Strippers?!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Vegas Girls Trip

The Hotel gave me 50 dollars in slot credit for booking. I was laughing as the floor attendant was having to show me how to use the "card" and how to bet, etc. I think he also got a kick out of the fact that I was printing out a receipt every time I won! I had about 5 receipts in my hand ranging from 2 dollars to 10 dollars by the time I used up the 50 dollars. I think he was getting a kick out of all of us grown girls, not having a clue! LOL

In front of the Bellagio and too many cameras! LOL
Dinner at Maggiano's
Inside The Pallazzo

The Vegas Girl's trip came much faster than I thought it would, and boy was I ready for it! A great show, "childless" shopping, and girl talk was just what I needed! Kristen picked me up at 7:30 AM, and after getting Michelle, we headed over to Brooke's where Cherice met us! We then headed out about 8:00! The drive went fast, with all the girl talk there wasn't a silent moment! We rolled into Vegas around lunch time, and tried checking in to the hotel early. We stayed at the Pallazzo, the new hotel that is connected to the Venetian. They let us check in early, and for a little extra they gave us a room facing the strip, on the 46th floor! The view was amazing! Definitely worth the upgrade! Right across from the hotel was the Fashion Show Mall, a mall that has about every store imaginable! We got a bite to eat at California Pizza Kitchen. I had my favorite, the Sicilian Pizza! After lunch we did some shopping, and then got MAC makeovers at Nordstorms! It was so fun getting all made up for the night! Everyone looked GREAT! I was even daring enough to wear fake eyelashes. They looked great when they did it! It was a little hard to get used to my made up face, because I'm used to no more than some mascara and sometimes a little eyeliner. Perhaps I'll attempt what they did when Ben and I have a fun night out! After our makeovers, we went back to the hotel and got ready for the show! Did I mention the show was "O" at the Bellagio! I have been wanting to see that show since before Aubrie was born, and was so excited to finally see it! We grabbed a quick bite to eat at a Deli type shop right outside of the theatre. Most of us got Sandwiches, which were big enough to split, and since we couldn't take food into the theatre, most of us had to throw half of it away! I hate that! It was a great BLT, though!
The show started at 7:30 sharp! The show was AMAZING!!!! Worth every cent! Just when you thought they couldn't do anything more daring and unbelievable, they would! I didn't want it to end! I defiantly plan on taking Ben to see it sometime! After the show we were thinking of seeing Blue Man group, but then opted to check out the Hotel and some of its venues. We ended up back at our room for some more chatting, and was in bed around midnight! The beds were heavenly; I'm surprised I didn't sleep in longer!
Saturday was such a relaxing day. We took our time getting ready, and had a nice relaxing breakfast at a wonderful European type restaurant at the Venetian. The Waffles were so delish! After breakfast, we headed to the Premium Outlets! They had such awesome shopping! I couldn't escape from there without a new purse, and I am LOVING it BTW! It's just the right size, and I LOVE the color! I also made some purchases for the kids, at the Gap, and picked up a shirt for Ben at Banana! I have to say that I executed a lot of restraint, since there were so many other cute things at my fingertips! The nice thing about shopping was that we had all day, and we just all took our time and didn't feel rushed. I LOVED that! I always feel rushed no matter when I go shopping, always feeling like I have to be somewhere, or get back to the kids! After we got our feel of the outlets, we went back to the strip to have a nice dinner at Maggiano's! The helpings there are so big, so I ended up splitting a few dishes and a salad! I got the Tiramasu, which I wouldn't recommend, at this restaurant anyway! I love that dessert, just not there! After dinner, we headed back home! I was so tired, but stayed up the whole time talking to Kristen, who was driving! I was the last "drop off", and walked in the door close to 1:00am! Ben was excited to show me a surprise he had been working on for me, and then I discovered his new purchase (it can be dangerous when I go out of town!;); a new IMAC for his office. After showing me the stuff, we stayed up talking for about 30 minutes......what a long day, but totally enjoyable, laid back, and relaxing! Thanks girls for a great trip!

Disney pics

Some fun posing!The last hours of day two! Is Sophia trying to wink here? LOL
The Teacups! Sophia's Favorite ride! The lights are making the kids look like they are sunburnt! If only it was warm those two days!
We got to meet up with the Hendrickson's both days! Aubrie had fun visiting with the girls and the boys were also a great match! Thanks Lou for the tortilla suggestion!
Fun times on Thunder Mountain!

Sophia and her Minnie ears!

A little Space MOuntain Action! (My favorite ride as Disneyland!)
Deck the Halls in the "It's a Small World"



Woken up by Fireworks!! Can you tell?
"Disney Snow"
Given up!