Isabella Daisy is 'fhwee'

My Isabella Daisy...

I have repeatedly asked her how old she's going to be on her birthday...consistently, with a ginormous grin on her face she replies, "six and a hab (half)!" She makes me laugh, my little two year old turning THREE!

I always wanted twins. Heavenly Father saw fit to NOT do that to me, but to rather let me be pregnant 7 times, yielding 6 births. Sometimes I wonder what would have been easier since pregnancy was only a means to a baby for me. Shocker, I know. I didn't love the swollen ankles, sleepless nights, aches & pains, heartburn, the way it sort of slowed me down SIX TIMES, watching my fanny grow with my belly... I just never loved all of that. I know there are some that do. And I am NOT one of them!

but I did get my "Irish Twins."

Alexandra & Isabella

They are 13 months apart---and couldn't be more opposite in personality much of the time, yet a perfect pair. I know they speak their own language telepathically...they just have a special bond and Heavenly Father knew...oh, how they needed each other. I love it that Lexie and Izzie will never remember life without one another.

I never thought in a million years I'd get yet ANOTHER girl, my Izzie. Afterall, I was the only girl with FIVE brothers growing up. I feared Izzie's birth a little because I felt I robbed myself and Lexie by getting preggers so quickly. Afterall, Lexie really was still a baby. I was WRONG. It was in the divine plan. They all just needed to get to earth NOW. Part of me thought that all the ultrasounds were wrong...that this really WAS a boy...Me? Another girl? Couldn't be! You know, we had a pattern going: boy, girl, boy, girl...boy

Nope, didn't happen. Izzie was just her own little person and fit right in. Of course, my love multiplied quickly. She was the biggest of our babies, which I realize is still munchkin compared with many of her cousins... She was 8 pounds - she baked the longest. She had a unique look...you could tell she's a McLaughlin, but she's always had her own look going on. And she's as determined as the rest, yet always different than the others...

uniquely izzie.

I have always loved the name Isabella...very classic and beautiful. I thought we'd call her Bella (means 'beautiful') but the moment I laid eyes on her, "Izzie" came out. Originally I chose her middle name and the birth certificate said 'Menzie,' my maiden name. But it just didn't fit her. The day Monson met her he referred to her as 'Dizzy.' We thought he said "Daisy" and it was fitting, darling, spontaneous and it just worked. Thus, Isabella Daisy.

She makes our home come alive!

And by alive, I mean...

• She is a girl with a mind of her own

• A spunky little girl with a wit 100 times her size

• A now THREE-year-old going on 16

• She LOVES being a little sis to her bff, Lexie (and the rest of them too)

• She LOVES being a big sis to sweet Viviana

• She has to put 'yipstick' on everytime mommie does

• She can't sit still when music is playing

• She can't just walk; she skips and hops

• She marches to the beat of her OWN drum, for sure

• She is a little song bird

• She can do EVERYTHING all by herself...or at least tries

• She loves being a princess and insists on going to bed with her hair all done

• She finds comfort in her left index finger...I mean her left index finger in her mouth

• She can't leave home without one of her three pink blankies

• She's scared silly of the garbage truck

• She is generally so polite and will say "sure" when we ask her to do something

• She is addicted to chocolate milk in a sippy

• She has a smile that will brighten any room

...and a twinkle in her eye to match

• She loves cheese and 'cwackas'

• She loves having her tummy, legs, arms, back tickled/stroked

• She has terrific hygeine...brushes her teeth like 5 times a day

• She has to wear a dress everyday...only because Lexie does

• She's always been Daddy's little girl...she came home from the hospital on Father's Day

• She's mostly a cheerful girl unless she's in A MOOD.

• She can make us all laugh until we pee our pants.

everybody loves Izzie.

Happy 3rd Birthday, sweet Isabella!

My little dancing darlings

My little ballerinas.

Love it, love it, love it. I love it that they know what first position is and that they can't quite plié because they're knees are a little retarded. But they are adorable and that's what matters at this age, anyway, right? True to her little in-charge personality, Lexie stood on stage and spent half her time directing Izzie and making sure she was doing what she was supposed to...oh, my girls. Lexie WILL be the one to keep Izzie in line, no doubt...our police, our hall-monitor #2 (Bray was the 1st one). Interesting that our first group of three started with that personality, as does our 2nd group of three children. hmmmmm...by divine design, I suppose.

Onto the recital. I watched with utter joy, laughed my head off at my little girls and I think I loved them getting all dolled up for the event just as much as they loved it. Digressing...they're in Kinderdance which incorporates ballet, tap, singing, and some pre-school concepts. They've both really loved the 'outlet' and taking ownership of something. Izzie just joined 2 months ago; Lexie's been doing it since September. And I hope they both stay in dance for the long haul and gain some real skill. For now, they can just look darling and this stage momma will flutter up with joy.

Brayden's on top of the world

What is a boy to do...

The last week of school every recital, performance, party, gathering, and field trip for all of our kids was SHOVED into one week...actually most of it was shoved into 2 days. Sun up to way past sun down we were scattering all over town to get our kids to this place or that.

Brayden's baseball team made it to the playoffs...in fact, they made it to the championship game, but lost, in -part due to really poor umping...I mean pathetic. But that's okay, it means baseball is over...and so this family has one less commitment; therefore, this mommie rejoices.

Brayden always dreamed of playing the violin--ever since he was about four & old enough to care... He finally fished his wish September 2007 with a great program put on by the San Marcos Youth Orchestra. Really it's a family of musicians that wanted to expose the youth of San Marcos to violin and cello for free. They have given of their time and talents every Friday eve from 4 until 6 in this wildly popular program. Brayden has loved it and it helps that he was named 'first chair' and was also able to play a solo at the concert as well as received the award for the most improved. It's been impressive to me that he has stuck to it, really enjoyed it, has excelled and wants to continue.

Musical talent runs in my family, but I didn't develop my abilities the way I wish I would have. A couple of my brothers are self-taught musicians and composers, and Brayden's great grandfather was a renowned violinist and saxophonist who even played with Lawrence Welk...impressive, I know.

So the eve of June 7th Bray was faced with a decision. His Diamondbacks team made it to the Championship and he's irreplaceable at first base. He's also a relief pitcher. Both the championship game and the concert were on the same night...overlapping in time. But the problem...his coach never communicated to the boys how valuable they were or gave positive reinforcement in any way, shape or form. We suspect the coach's son spent many-a-night in hide-out busted from his poor game performance. He was nothing short of abusive to the players and it really affected Brayden. So he chose to make his violin concert his priority. Shocker for those that know his love of sports, but very telling in the contrast of treatment between his violin teachers and his baseball coach.

He ended up being able to perform with his orchestra and do his solo, then leave 1/2 way through the concert to make it to the game...what a champ...didn't let anyone down!

And then on to 'promotion.' Brayden is officially out of elementary school and onto sixth grade. I truly can't believe it. Can't we freeze time? I vividly remember my first day of sixth grade and that period of time in middle school...much of what happened during those three years shaped who I am today. And now our firstborn is heading out of innocence and into unchartered McLaughlin waters. And can I say that Bray got straight A's his last trimester?! He was awarded the highest Presidential academic achievement...outstanding academic excellence, because he has been on honor roll with a 3.8 or above the whole year. And this, having balanced school with sports, violin, and scouts all year. We're truly proud of you, Bray, and HONORED to call you our son.

We've always joked about wanting to clone Brayden...we're still hoping the 'bar' he's set as the oldest will rub-off on the rest of the gang....please, oh, please.

Laundry Boy

LAUNDRY. It's kind of a swear word to me. I loathe it, I would rather clean toilets bare-handed than complete the DON'T SAY IT! LAUNDRY. Yeah, it's no problem getting it done, but folding it? I just have never got that part of it down... not because I don't know how...I was the queen of the folding board for many many years! But because I just don't want to. I was not a rebel growing up, but I am a laundry rebel. Isn't it just as easy to dig through a pile of clean clothes sitting in a basket to find a shirt as it is to dig through a drawer or a pile on the floor to find one? Maybe my days as the 'Gap Girl' are haunting me. I used to come home from work with a bag of clothes for my brothers...almost daily--how could I pass up $3.99 minus 30%? I mean really! I am the deal queen. There's a direct relationship to the amount of clothes in their closets and the piles of laundry to match it. I think we can go 2 weeks without running out of clothes and underwear, but I'm certain the boys have worn their socks 2 and 3 times at that point. And the girls, they can go 3 weeks, I'm sure. It's a sickness...I know. If I got rid of two-thirds of their clothes, laundry wouldn't be such an issue, right? Easy as pie. But not so much.

Some of my laundry freak-friends, you know who you are, well they fold it as it comes out of the dryer. Who has time for that? If I'm not changing poopie bottoms x 2 or retrieving Vivs from the top of the stairs before she tumbles (she's almost trained on that one) then I'm trying to feed Vivie her bottles that she's too busy to drink or keeping the girls busy or getting on them to clean up their own messes. Seriously. Like I've said before, six kids should come with an Alice. I did finally hire Maria to come help me clean once a week. But that's another song and dance...cleaning before the cleaning lady comes. She's cheap, so I can justify my one splurge to help with my sanity. Maybe I should just hire her to do the Shhhhhhh, don't say it! laundry...

So this morning when I came downstairs and saw this

My heart did giant flip flops, I jumped for joy...literally. Partly because I felt badly I didn't get it done, but MOSTLY because wow! Monson took immense initiative and did it all! From washing, drying and now he's working on folding....he's not just thumbling through the clean clothes to find his shirt, he's folding it ALL (and he washed it too).

Bless his almost 8-year-old heart!

He didn't want to wait one more day for his clothes to be washed. And note, he also did McKenzie's and Vivie's, plus whatever was in the laundry room at the time.

I stand amazed.

The greatest thing about it all? I didn't bribe him...he just wanted his clothes washed and folded and NOW! And I'm thinking it's time for all the McLaughlin children over 8 to do his/her own laundry...at least this summer while they have time. And no, I'm not a sweat shop...but he's shown me on his own that he's capable! If it's fun for kids that age, then by all means, HUMOR me. Keep on doing the laundry. I love independence.

Can my hobby make moolah?

Last weekend I tried my first non-Vivie photo shoot. I was pretty pleased with the results...oh, my beloved Nikon & index finger! Not too shabby. After taking like 450 photos in 1 1/2 hours (thank you, digital) I think we ended up with a large amount of really nice options! It was my friend's daughter's pre-baptism photos. I think as I practice a bit more and gain some more confidence and actually figure out what I'm really doing I may just have to make this more than just a hobby...I know, I've been saying that for a LONG TIME. But I think I can charge for this quality, don't you? Any tips...master photographers Katie? Julie? Pam? Bring it on! Yeah, I should enroll in a DSLR class, but I fake it really well, don't I? On second thought, maybe anyone could get this quality with a DSLR and a live, working finger. Here's just a handful of them; you can click on the contact sheet to enlarge it...ah, isn't Baylee a darling girl???

Schools Out, Scream and Shout!

We are all schooled-out, sported-out, scouted-out, music'd-out (yes, I know it's not a word...but you get the picture), danced-out, doctored-out, recitaled out and performanced-out at this house. We are ready for summer to begin and for our schedules to open up so these taxi drivers AKA Mom & Dad can take a break and breathe for a moment!
siiggghhhhh...

I have to say that Curt takes on the taxi driving just as much as I do which helps a ton to alleviate me throwing six kids into the gas-guzzler and rushing around town. Thank you, babe!

But it's time for the lazy days of summer....lots of front yard carnivals as they are now called. The kids come out from the four corners of our neighborhood and gather on our corner and in our front yard. We live on a double cul-de-sac street...smack dab in the middle. And this is where they congregate. This is a daily occurrence-as long as my car is in the driveway, they come in droves.

Despite trying to stop it, the contents of our garage gets unloaded onto the grass. They did this in Utah too...it looked like a cul-de-sac garage sale every weekend! We're talking beach chairs, towels, water bottles, clothes (WHY clothes??? don't know--cause it was in the garage from last time), sand toys, skate boards, bikes, strollers, baby dolls, wagons, scooters, snacks, and consequently trash from snacks ...you name it... it's on the front lawn. The kids are doing sidewalk chalk anywhere they can. There is a baseball game going, or they're shooting hoops, throwing the football in the street, blasting the radio or ipod from the porch. There are skateboard ramps, pop-up tents, sometimes a snow-cone machine, lemonade stand (with pretend lemonade 1/2 the time aka water...c'mon-use your imagination and give the kids some $$$!) The kids typically range from 1 year old to 15 years old. The moms of even toddlers in the neighborhood wait until the kids are out and they all come and are entertained by my kids--who will open their big mouths and tell them most anything they want to know about our lives and their 2, 4, 7, 9, and 10 year old takes on it...cringe. No harm done, we can only hope.

One time I was out and a nice lady with her beautiful golden retrievers stopped to say hello.
I had never met her, but she began to ask me all about Viviana and recounted that she knew Lexie & Izzie were in Utah with my mom for 6 weeks last year, that one of the kids had a concussion last year in football, that one of the kids got honor roll all year, that we used to have a dog, Scooby, who ran away. REALLY..and she went on and on...knew each child by name. Excuse me, who are you again? Oh, yeah, the nice lady that my kids offered their whole life stories to as you walked your dogs by our circus/carnival apparently going on in the front yard. Forget a private blog--we have seriously social children who sometimes need muzzles. Perhaps some 'seeds' are being planted with their social behaviors. I should just have my kids wear missionary tags and hand out Books of Mormon on the corner...I'm certain their 'regulars' will listen to them.

I used to get all up-tight about these 'carnivals,' but honestly, whatever I've done to stop it...they find a way around it. I am a disciplinarian, but a little mess outside never hurt. I know to the untrained eye our front yard looks like maybe about 13 families live inside...I'm declaring that WE ARE NOT WHITE TRASH...I promise. There's only one very, very large family that lives here. And I love being the house the kids come to so I can keep tabs on my own. And as long as they keep it OUTSIDE, play fairly, and use nice language, 'ugly Mommie' doesn't have to rear her head too often.

So just know, if your kids come over to play, and I think the more the merrier... This is not a babysitting service...it's an each kid for his/herself thing. It is like a carnival.

It is the lazy days of summer at the McLaughlin home.
All we ask is that you pick up your own trash and help clean up the mess. Come experience it for yourself. Unless, of course, we're at the beach...and in that case, still come join us, but you have to find your own ride--my bus (or Escalade) is officially full!

GOING PRIVATE

Not really. I know you were worried.

But the time has finally come....I am taking my blog private. I'm feeling a little bitter and sad about it actually, because it's been such a great forum for reconnecting with old friends and getting to know new ones! I have so much personal information on this blog about my dear family. I have loved the idea of this being a forum to share ideas, projects, views, and comings & goings...BUT, it's time to not let the whole www peak at my life and children.

So, just send me an email (toushay73@gmail.com) or leave a comment with your email address. Friends of friends, family of friends, friends of family, you know what I mean...those that don't typically leave comments, and my daily, weekly, and monthly readers alike...ACT NOW, because...

by June 10th I will be Private.

update: And YES! I love it that my long-time and new friends' alike have friends & family that are reading...so just identify yourself through a private email or a 'note to shay' with your email address and I'll add you to the list so you can take a peak at will!

And yes, it appears that I 'stole' a copyrighted photo. All I can say is that the website let me save it... so finders, keepers. Maybe I'm the one who will be 'shot.'

Teacher Gifts

Growing up I remember our teachers awaiting the Menzie children Christmas & end-of-year gifts because it was always something homemade and yummy...usually the signature fresh & warm homemade loaf of bread with a jar of homemade jam to go with it. Or sometimes at Christmas, it was a massive homemade gingerbread house made out of real gingerbread, all decorated with the teacher's name above the doorway. Life was simple back then.

I'm a homemade kinda mom too...but just not the same kind. I make out-of-this-world brown sugar cinnamon rolls and chocolate chip banana bread like my mom, but I don't make homemade bread all that often---maybe once every 5 years. Yes, pathetic. Not exactly following in the footsteps of my very resourceful and talented mother. I am my own person....also NOT a professional seamstress like her, but I fake it really well sewing my decorator pillows, drapes and duvets.

But I have other skills...the crafty kind, like most Mormon women these days. I see an idea and I can't bring myself to buy it; I want to reproduce it and put my own spin on it. Typical Mormon attitude, I know...every boutique's worst nightmare! I'm known to spend hundreds of the green stuff inside TaiPan Trading and Rod Works...hey, I know a good deal when I see it, and I also know my limitations! But when it comes to cute crafty projects, the sky is the limit.

A couple or 3 years ago my sis, Tallie, made this great project using clear vase gem fillers backing them with fun scrapbook papers and a magnet for a customized refrigerator magnet. It was all-the-rage at the Utah County boutiques and craft malls. Then she put a creative spin on it and took head shots of her family and used those to make the magnets instead. Instant personalized cute gift!

I am all about NOT re-inventing the wheel...one of the many lessons I learned while trying to be the creative and out-of-the box elementary teacher many years ago. So I had my older kids help me make a 'family of magnets' for my mom last Christmas with our latest head shots so she can always look at us when she opens her fridge. Delightful, I know. Makes you want to eat more, eh!


Then, my other cute sis, Becky, posted about their teacher appreciation week gifts a few weeks ago. So thanks for the reminder of this great project, and thanks for the teacher-gift spin on it! I am a copycat, I admit. So here's my kids' teacher end-of-year gifts with the Shay-spin on it. Yes, and it's in the classic Shay 'let's say it in 3000 words instead of 50', so bear with me...

Wanna copy? Here's how:

So I first have to tell you that I've tried this many ways. Typically, you would need to use a laser printer (not an ink jet which is the more common kind) because the ink would run once the glue was applied. SO, I don't have a laser printer...the work-around is to use your ink jet printer, and apply a VERY SMALL micro dot of glue...so that it does NOT run through to the back of the paper, which is what causes the bleeding....glue over-saturation. I've also used a thin layer of mod podge instead of the glue, which does not bleed the laser jet ink. Additionally, I have used the 3M spray, only because that's the only adhesive I had in my very stuffed craft closet at the time. But it worked masterfully! So, there's your three options on gluing and what has worked for me.

Supplies:

1. jewel-It glue (Michaels 3.99)
2. clear vase gem filler in floral dept (2.29 for a 12 oz. bag...3/4 " ones yield about 75; 2" ones yield about 20) They are actually called 'glass marble accents' It's hard to find the larger ones in clear... my bag came mixed with clear & blue-tone ones (cant' use the blue ones because can't see the design of the paper/expressions/photos through the blue tint).
   
3. circle magnets (6.59 for 50)I've used the hefty 3/4" ones and smaller 1/2" ones--both work great.
   
4. craft hole punch to match the size of the gem (7.99) tip: Michaels has a 50% off coupon right now.
   
5. patterned paper--smaller designs work best, because as the gem is put over it, the gem acts as a magnifying glass--smaller designs will be noticed...larger ones just look like smudge.
6. Gift card tin (1.00 each)
   

NOTE: I am the retard who sat and traced each gem (the 2" ones) for an exact headshot cut-out. Never dawned on me to, um, use a hole punch until Becky posted hers. Thanks for the tip, Becky!

Method:

• Print expressions on paper. I once again copied some of Becky's, but added a few of my own.

School teachers: Inspire, Teach, Joy, A+, Fun, friendly, Smart, Involved;
basically describe them.
Dance teachers: Inspire, Teach, Joy, Fun, Friendly, Involved, Grace, Dance, Sing.

• Punch them out with the hole punch, centering each expression. Set aside.
• Lay the magnets out and put a bead of glue on each (or lay them out on a newspaper outside, spray them with 3M spray--works like a charm).
• Add the paper, pattern/ink side up, press to secure.
• Add another tiny, tiny bead dot of glue...
• Add the gem, flat side down and press gently to spread the glue....and hopefully the ink won't bleed!
  

It will dry clear, I promise! Here's what I did to personalize it:

• I took a picture of each of my kids with his/her teacher and did a larger 2" head shot magnet to further personalize it. They turned out darling.
• I then lined the inside of the cute gift card tin (magnetic) with solid paper and placed each of the magnets inside...walaaa! A personalized great teacher gift.

If you started this project and had none of the supplies, but used two coupons on the highest priced items, it would end up costing less than $4 each from start to finish with the gift tin and all. Wrap a ribbon around it and you're good to go! Darling personalized magnets for cheap, cheap, cheap.

Hair Bling

It's WAY PAST bedtime. I'm rocking Lexie, and Izzie is brushing her teeth for the 2nd time in the last fifteen minutes (at least one out of my six gets the hygiene thing)!

I tucked Lexie in bed and Izzie is now combing out her hair and trying to find just the right flower to adorn her hair...

I told her to get in bed....she comments, "I need to go to bed with my hair done, Mom" (duh, don't you know?)

She climbs in bed so proud of herself..."Lexie, do you like my hair? I'm all ready to go to bed now."

Where is she from? 1948? I know my grandma Brower used to put her hair into pin curls before she went to bed, but that was like 100 years ago! But certainly I don't--and sometimes I wake up and go through half the day with the same hairdo from the day before. I think I just may be a girly-freak factory!

Perhaps she has to do her hair at night because a few weeks ago I made like a gazillion flowers on clippies and adorned them with some bling...She, like her mommie, she can't do without the bling. Yup, that's what it is. I think I'm realizing that when I do things, I REALLY DO THEM. I mean, I go all-out. No, I couldn't just have 10 flowers for my girls...I have to have every color, shape, and size...some with bling, some without...and at least two for piggies or for their twinner outfits, sometimes three or four. But for anyone who sees my girls everyday (and there are four of them)...they always have a flower or a bow. And Izzie is the least 'girly girl' at our house....maybe it's a toss-up between McKenzie & Izzie. Lexie is as girly as they come. End of story.

I found two darling flowers at my new favorite store, Dear Lizzie, in Utah (a boutique and French bistro where all your girly dreams come true:). Anyway, I bought the two (all the budget would allow), got in the mood...bought all my copycat flowers and bling at Roberts, and went to town. It only took like a month to get to it, but waalaa! My girls have bling! And here's a tip about storing all those big clippies, bows and baby headbands...an over the door towel/coat hanger with several hooks. You then place on each hook a strand of long wide grosgrain or other ribbon hanging from an "O" ring or a "D" ring and secure each clippie to the ribbon. I scored this door hanger for $6.99 at one of my other favs--Marshalls. I should open an etsy store with my hair bling! But about a million others are doing the same thing. So not so original...but a fraction of the cost. Works for me.

"Wind Beneath My Wings"

"Once you have experienced the freedom of flight, you will forever more walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward; for there you have been, there you long to return." -da Vinci

I used to sit awestruck as I'd drive around the point of the mountain from Utah County into Salt Lake County and see the gliders floating and moving with the wind. It always looked so graceful, peaceful, transcendent, buoyant...communal to me. And so I always wanted to experience the freedom of flight without the shelter of an aircraft..to feel one with the sky and float above land and live to tell about it! It seems like I was pregnant forever and now that the child bearing chapter has officially closed...opportunity knocks for all my crazy adventures! What a good sport Curt is with these crazy dreams I have...and yes, we do have hefty life insurance...

Apparently it is a known fact that Torrey Pines (La Jolla) is THE PLACE...the hang/paragliding MECCA in all the world. The conditions are almost always perfect, the scenery superb, the method legendary. I learned this from a woman we were going to 'fly' with in Seattle back in March when I first attempted this paragliding adventure. After getting to the top of the mountain, which was a process...we weren't able to jump because of unfavorable wind conditions. BUMMER. Anyway, this woman there told me that the best place in all the world for gliding is Torrey Pines. Basically our backyard...well, not really, but 30 minutes away. So, I decided that for my 35th birthday, that's what I would do. (And these are photos that either Curt took of me...or that I took of the scenery while floating in the sky).

In the hang/paragliding community, it is said that "if you haven't flown Torrey Pines, you won't go to heaven." I have been parasailing in Hawaii, hot air ballooning in Park City, repelling off a mountain in Malibu, and now paragliding in La Jolla. And....according to the legend, I'm going to heaven! Neener, neener, neener. Life is good! A dream fulfilled.

My mom was in town, so she took the jump off the mountainside right after me...with all my kids, Curt, and Kelly (her hubby) watching in the wings. I was so proud of her---guess I know where I get my adventurous streak! It was a tandem paragliding flight--and the 'head pilot' was actually the owner of the gliderport; he has been doing this for 20 years and I couldn't have been in any better hands. So, I'm actually a 'certified pilot' for the next 30 days...I have a license to fly the skies...at least with a glider.

We flew over Blacks Beach (which is a nudie beach I figured out after staring for a few seconds...and no, couldn't see stark details at my altitude). I must have looked downward too long because I felt like I was going to loose my cookies and hurl all over the nudies beneath! What a fun surprise that would have been--it's a bird...nope...a little nastier! I composed myself and instead enjoyed the scenery at eye level for a bit. We flew past all the spectacular estates lining La Jolla Shores and had a front seat view of the insides of these palaces made of glass. I'm sure they don't appreciate the paragliding intruders daily.

I looked for sharks in the ocean, and we flew over where the US Open will be in a couple weeks. I could see the cracks and crevices that flow from the cliffs in La Jolla...and I appreciate more now the spectacular beauty of the shoreline from that vantage point. We truly live in an amazing city! Wish you were there for the thrill, Tallie! (Can't wait to hear about yours). Another dream down...what's next? I think sailing. Maybe that will have to be for my 36th birthday. Happy Birthday 35th to...ME! (said humbly).



Just as soon as we came home, Curt, Vivie, me, Mom, and Kelly rushed off to OC to experience Sprinkles Cupcakes...made my tastebuds dance and do flip flops. Worth the drive, worth the wait. I'm addicted. Then we waited some more at Maggianos Little Italy--and my pants don't fit anymore. The lasagne portions are fit for a king--and his whole kingdom. We ate the bread just as fast as it came, and the appetizer sampler was to die for! Some of my family has been touting Maggianos forever and I have to agree--best I've tasted outside of Italy. The purging will have to start tomorrow as I have more face-stuffing to do tonight with my leftover lasagne and I still have one more dark chocolate cupcake from the dozen we brought home that I have to experience...kitchen's calling.

Crawling Adventures

Look at the trouble that Vivie is brewing up:

Because of her new-found freedom called crawling, she discovered her favorite spot--my craft/sewing/misc. closet in the downstairs bedroom!

She dumped the bag of thread, then got tangled up in it all...I think her favorite color is pink--those are the ones she chose to pick up and clap together....hmmm...wonder where she saw that color before...

And yes, she is sporting a runny nose. A very, very, runny nose. Thanks to the crawling and all the germs that go from the floor, to her hands, to her mouth. Oh, the joys of babyhood.

She is faster than I give her credit for...DETERMINED and strong as an ox--like the rest of those McLaughlin girls. She loves all the bathrooms...even the boys---ick. (it does get cleaned weekly, but there's something to those boy's bathroom--not straight-shooters? I'll spare you...you're welcome). Perhaps she's noticed that the rest of us spend quality time in the bathroom, so why not her? She's caught on! At least she hasn't figured out yet that there's a lot of fun to be had in that big toilet bowl...or she'd be pulling herself up and having some splish splashy fun with her light-up ducky, I'm sure. And I'm certain that day will come too...

And I'm grateful that she's just climbing up a few inches instead of a few feet. I'm fretting the day when she starts to scale staircases, fences, walls, cribs... She's no longer content sitting, bouncing, and twirling inside her saucer; she likes climbing under it and just hanging out and grabbing the leftover food bits from snacktime...or pencil shavings from careless big kids. I'm not so sure I like how fast she's caught on to this crawling thing. It means sweeping and vacuuming 2-3 times a day, sweeping her mouth/throat for Lexie's polly pocket shoe or the occasional coin, and today I even performed the heimlich without as much as a flinch! But she sure is a cutie pie and we're grateful she can crawl at bearly a year old.

Once the five older kids are snug in their beds and I'm upstairs decompressing on the computer (laptop is broken still), as part of her night-time routine she starts whining and crawls all over trying to find me then down the hall to the base of the stairs and whines for 'mama.' She loves her cuddle time and daddy's night cuddles just don't do the trick. So we cuddle, and I type with one hand while she helps with both her hands and sometimes her whole body! Whatever I have to do to get the job done. She's slobbering on me now-I think she's out! Ahhhh, precious stages.

Memorial Days' Past

It was a grand Memorial Day Tradition in our family growing up to pay our respects to our Grandpa Menzie at the Los Angeles Veterans Cemetery. He died of cirrhosis of the liver when my Dad was just 18 years old in the VA hospital just down the street from his final resting spot.

We would take bets on who would find the grave site first...and make dibs on who would clean the overgrown grass off the face of it. And a fight would always ensue for who gets to take home the little flag that the scouts placed by the headstone prior to our visit. I don't think we ever missed a year...at least while all six of us kids were at home.

So these are some of the photos of Memorial Days past...yes, I know they are horribly cropped. I don't know how to get picasa to center them in the collage. His name was not "Ward," but Howard Yuille Menzie. He served in the US Army as a Master Sergent, as the stone suggests...and yes, we always wore poker faces for some reason. One can tell we didn't always want to be there and certainly didn't need 50 shots of the same event each year with the print camera, slide camera, SLR camera, AND video camera...not kidding. I think I've turned into my dad in the photo department. Sorry kids! I DO know your pain! You'll thank me for it later!

We always knew how special Memorial Day was...and were very keen on the sacrifice many made for our freedoms. It's a very large cemetery with headstones as far as the eye can see...a visual reminder. Although, I know many didn't fall in the line of fire, they all did their part to make our America what it is today.

We would then rush off to Titos Tacos...and sometimes go sit at the Marina (Del Rey) and watch the boats. It was especially cool when Memorial Day fell on Wayne's or my birthday (May 27th and May 31st respectively). Then we were sure to get first dibs on the flag...HA! May is a great month, isn't it?



While I haven't continued that Memorial Day Tradition since living here in So. Cal, we have taken our kids up and had the same photo-op and Titos experience. In fact, last time we did it was when the Escalade was broken into and my Nikon, among other things was stolen. The only photos on that stolen camera were of our cemetery stop. And so I insisted on a do-over with my little digital on the way home--HAD to get those 'next generation' pictures!!! (It was Sunday and we were coming from church in LA, thus the nice clothes:)