The Continuation

Here's the "to be continued..." part of our California trip. I said I'd do it & I delivered, amazing, I know. So, before we had left to Cali, my sister had written a post on her blog that Aly, my niece, had just gotten her first hula hoop. So I had posted a comment for her to let Aly know that a Hula Hooping contest was going to be on like Donkey Kong when we came for a visit. The contest took place the night before we left & basically everybody got in on the fun (though I don't have pix of everyone who did it, my bad). I actually was the first one up & was going on doing my hula business & after a few minutes Stacy says to me "Okay, I think that you can be done now, I think that you have won. Let's give Aly a chance." Kinda like, "Okay, what the heck are you doing Laur, are you trying to make a 8 year old girl cry?" So, in my mind I was like: "Crap, I was being serious & what if she honestly barely just learned? Dang it Laura! Dang it!" So, dun dun dunaaaaaahh, Aly gets up for her turn & she just kept going & going & going, she was the energizer bunny I tell ya. Stacy, in surprise, says to Aly "When did you get sooo good?", Aly just smiles at her madre & continues to tell her that she & her friend from Louisiana would practice all of the time together before they moved out to Cali. Then Aly starts doing all of these tricks, walking, jumping up & down, doing the boo-tay dance all whilst still hula hooping! She won that contest by a mile! I was so proud of her! She was so awesome! Here were some of the other contestants....

Mike, okay, so he was freakishly good at it. Anything he tries, he can do. He could have just kept going & shaking what his mother gave him, but I think that he wanted to let me walk away with at least a little pride. I like his form though. Look at those arms.

Than there's me.... you can almost just hear me saying "TAAA-DAAAAA" through

the picture, can't you?

Stacy gave a very valiant effort, preggo belly and all (even though you can't really tell cause her coat is hiding it). She was one of my favorites to watch though! I love how we all do a little something different with our arms.

Here's my bud Jaden. His first time trying!!! By the end, he actually kind of got it! It MUST run in the family or something.

And now, without further adue, the WINNER.... Aly!!! All I can say is, you better keep practicing Aly, because you do realize that there will be a part 2 to this little competition! And yes, I actually DID go & purchase a hula hoop to practice! So, if you want to hold onto that title, you may want to start throwing in a couple new tricks. Just so you know. :)

Well, well, well here is a few more pix from the trip. Just putting them up on here makes me want to load up the Prism & head on out for another 12 hour road trip! Miss you O'Gwins!


Here's cute Kate at the Beach. That girl is quite possibly the coolest 2 year old ever!

Here's one of almost the whole group at the aquarium. Thanks Mike for sacrificing not being in the picture, so that we actually had someone to take the picture!
Chris didn't make it because of school. Dang you school & making people smarter!

I just particularly liked this one of Cam at the BBQ... Smores anyone?

Jaden & Cam at Carmel Beach. Notice that Jaden is wearing a "gold medal" that he had gotten at their church in primary & would not take it off forever.

Love this next one, & a good one to end on, I believe. My boys enjoying the beach at sunset....

B-A-utiful!

Movie under Review

So this blog-o-rama is sorta turning into my little outlet on how I feel about everything, from my taste in music, TV, make-up, my deepest darkest feelings (okay, okay, maybe not my DEEPEST DARKEST, but semi-deep, not very light feelings), fashion, movies, food, books, etc.... Sprinkled in with some fun little updates about my family happenings. So, let's just accept it for what it is & embrace it. Sometimes it's just fun for me to come on here & tell you all about my recent opinions on things. It's like my very own personal online magazine that I am Editor in Chief of. When I was say 10 or 11, I would cut out pix from magazines of my fave celebs (from no other than Teen Bop Magazine), my top Celeb's at that time were New Kids on the Block, Paula Abdul and members from The Mickey Mouse Club (remember that? and the band "THE PARTY" that stemmed off of it). Yes, and I am actually talking about the Mickey Mouse Club that was before B. Spears & J.T. It was the one with like Damien & Tiffany (my two personal faves). Any-chow, I would cut out pictures of them, paste them on construction paper & staple them together & make my own Mag out of it. I would even write little "articles". Priceless. But, the point is, sometimes when I am doing posts on this blog I feel like I am doing an awesomer, high techer, grown uper version of that. So, I guess I really never will truly grow up. I just become an older version of my younger self? Who knows. But, on the real's yo, Mike & I rented "The September Issue" last night. It's basically the documentary version of "The Devil Wears Prada". The girl that wrote that book, Lauren Weisberger, was the real life Anne Hathaway character of the movie. And the character that Meryl Streep plays in the movie, in real life is Anna Wintour. Well it's a 90 minute documentary of the putting together of the September Issue of Vogue, which we all know is the biggest issue of the year, it forecasts all of the Fall trends and such. Some call it "The Fashion Bible". I don't however, I am obsessed with mags, but not Vogue for some reason. But yes, if you have seen The Devil Wears Prada, than may I just say, Meryl is a DEAD RINGER for Anna Wintour, she really does seem like the ice queen. I actually loved the movie. It was fun seeing how they put together the mag & all of those beautiful clothes....Oh My, my, my. My favorite person in the documentary was a lady named Grace Coddington, the creative director at Vogue. I have to first of all say that Mike said that she looks like the witch in "Willow", agreed. But, she was the only one who ever stood up to Anna, and was quite a genius at what she does. Very interesting show, obviously I liked the Hollywooded-up version, The Devil Wears Prada better. But it still was very entertaining. I give it a 7.5 out of ten. Mike even actually stayed up through the whole thing, which is saying A LOT. He can't stay up for nuffin'. Next up for my viewing pleasure, I am excited to see "The Backup Plan", yes, it is "that one with J. Lo in it", "Date night"- have heard that that one is hilarious, the new "Robin Hood"- Mike & I watched the Kevin Costner version of this as part of our first date, so I kinda feel like it's "our movie", and then some other renters that I have yet to see: Julie & Julia, Every body's Fine, The Invention of Lying, and gasp... Avatar (no we were not one of the bazillion people that saw it in the theaters). So, let's pop some popcorn, grab a blankie & snuggle duggle up to a great movie...

Listen Up

Here are some songs that have been in a regular rotation in my ear holes as of late...

Snow Patrol * Just Say Yes

Broken Bells * October

Bon Iver * Skinny Love

30 Seconds to Mars * Hurricane

Band of Horses * No One's Gonna Love You

The Weepies * Take it from Me

Peter Bradley Adams * Ohio

Matt Morris * In this House

Lifehouse * It is what it Is

Carly Simon * Coming Around Again

Gary Go * Open Arms

Iron & Wine * Boy with a Coin

Greg Laswell * How the Day Sounds

My Morning Jacket * Librarian

Barenaked Ladies * You Run Away

B.O.B. feat Bruno Mars * Nothin on You

Regina Spektor * Us

Mat Kearney * Undeniable

Jack Johnson * Flake

Most of these songs are on my Play list at the bottom of my blog. Check 'em out if you haven't heard some of them yet. If there are any random songs that you are obsessed with lately, please let me know. I love finding new music!!!

25 Randoms...

25 Random Things you didn't know about Laura. Wait, no not THAT Laura, me, Laura...

1. I hate that Laura Bush has the same name as me. Why can't someone cool have the same name as me? Like why isn't, I don't know, Kate Beckinsale's name Laura Beckinsale?
   
2. I have dead serious thought of getting a very long wig & wearing it every now & again when I feel like not having short hair for the day. Still haven't got one. So if you ever actually see me with long flowing hair, it's my own.
3. I actually read the book "Story Telling" by Tori Spelling & liked every page.
4. I won a hula hooping contest in High School.
5. I once threw an economy sized thing of Ketchup across the floor in my parents basement & it literally exploded everywhere! All over their BRAND NEW white-ish carpet. That was a bad day to say the least.
6. I am a bit of an insomniac. No fun. Mike complains to me if it takes him more then 5 minutes for him to fall asleep. I've lied awake watching the clock turn from 2am & then 3, 4...5, "Ahhh just fall asleep!" I yell in my brain! It doesn't listen, in fact it mocks me & says back to me " Now you are even further away from being asleep, sucker!"
7. I have NEVER watched a single episode of Jersey Shore & I am a little bit proud of myself for this. That is just the type of trashy dumb reality show that I get caught up in. But I won over that one. Man, I am so strong.
8. I would love to open up a cute little boutique & get to choose everything in it. It would be the sweetest store that women would flock to in the hundreds. I would sell the best smelling home fragrances, & I would be so awesome that I would have the means to make my very own Perfume & sell it there. Don't know yet what I would call said perfume, but it would smell fantastic! I would also sell really random music from artists that nobody has really heard of, but should because they are so talented. I would sell delicate handmade jewelry, stationary, and the coziest blankets you've ever felt. The sexiest shoes would also be sold, as well as unique pieces of clothing, not that blinged out crap, just beautifully made clothes that not everybody & their dog is wearing. Really comfy over sized pajamas (you know like Men pajamas, but for the ladies), and Shea infused stripped socks. And then some quirky home decorations, like funky throw pillows & frames & stuff. It would be decorated awesomely & always smell spectacular in there, with the best music playing on the background. Aww, what a cute dream of mine.
9. I am beyond grossed out by coral & stuff that has a lot of bumps on it, yuck, I am itching all over just thinking about it!
10. I had my very first bloody nose out of nowhere a few weeks ago. Not as bad as I had imagined.
11. I wish I loved to run, like I was a run-a-holic or something. But sadly, I don't.
12. I once thought that it would be hilarious if I just went up to a boy in high school & put a quarter in one of my eyes (all scrunched up around the quarter, if you can possibly picture it) & say in a silly voice "You would be crazy not to go to Homecoming with me!" And that would be my "cute" way of asking him to a dance.
13. I want to learn to play the acoustic guitar & blow people away with my skills.
14. I am overly obsessed with the number 14!
15. I used to have a crush on David Bowie in "Labyrinth"! Have you seen that movie lately? Could he look any gayer in it? So funny.
16. I had a weird fear of cats for a while, like when I was in preschool or something.
17. I probably own enough cosmetics to last me 5 lifetimes.
18. I definitely own enough perfume to last me like 10 lifetimes. What is the deal with me & my nose?
19. I use to wish I was Princess Diana.
20. My first kiss (sorta) was when I chase around a boy named Javier at recess & kissed him on the ear. How romantic.
21. I don't particularly like Mexican food.
22. I have a weird scar right above my right knee from jabbing some scissors into it when I was little (on accident, of course).
23. I hold my breath every time I pass by a cemetery. Some old wives tale associated with this I am sure, just don't remember it.
24. When Mike and I lived in Logan, we lived across from a cemetery. I still don't know how I felt about not always being able to hold my breath. But I would still hold it every time we at lease drove by it.
25. I stole the idea to do this "25 Random Things You Don't Know About Me" post from a column they have in US Weekly every week.

My new calling...

I have recently been called to be the Young Women's Secretary in our ward. I could not be more excited, or humbled by this calling. I have always wanted to serve in YW & up until this point have only been in Primary (which was great as well, those little Sunbeams are so cute & innocent). When the Bishop called me into his office & told me what the calling was & would I accept it, I felt a tingle go down my spine. What an honor to be able to work with the youth of our ward! I remember all of the different feelings and emotions I had when I was their age as if it were just yesterday. And let's be honest here, I probably act more immature at times than a lot of these girls that I am going to be in with. I don't know what it is, and in a lot of ways I hope that it never goes away, but I swear I still feel like I am 16. Okay, so maybe I thought I was like 29 when I was 16 & so that is why I still feel that way, but whatev's. I hope I always have a young soul. Um, randomness..... Back to the girls. I remember my feelings of self doubt, unworthiness, struggles of really standing up for what's right, whether it was cool or not, questioning my self worth. I still obviously struggle with all of the above sometimes, but now with out any doubt in my mind I know that I am a beloved daughter of my Heavenly Father & that what he thinks of me matters more than anything. And I want the girls in my YW to know this with all of their heart to. They are all so beautiful inside & out & I hope that I can have some sort of positive influence on how they feel about themselves. Those years are so hard & Satan works so hard to bring the youth down. That is why I am beyond humbled to be able to serve in this capacity & try to help them realize their worth. I just pray that the Lord will help lead & guide me. Cause lets face it, I need all of the Divine help I can get. I found a couple of great quotes that I think go along just lovely with what I am trying to say.....

"Being a Daughter of God means that if you seek it, you can find your

true identity. You will know who you are."

-Pres. James E. Faust

"You need, more and more, to feel the perfect love which our father in heaven

has for you and to sense the value he places upon you as an individual."

-Pres. Spencer W. Kimball

I am so excited to get to know each of them better & I can't wait for girls camp! I know I talked a lot about the spiritual side of it all, but I am jazzed (nobody uses that word anymore, that's why I just did) to just have FUN with the girls. All of the craziness, the laughing, the putting honey on the porta-potty seat at camp. Bring it on! And heck, I remember going to girls camp & my Mom was one of the leaders (I loved that she was in there when I was in there) & us "responsible" young women would be going to bed in our tents at oh around midnight-ish & you could hear as loud as day, the Leaders tent laughing it up like it was the party of the decade. All of the sudden my 14 year old self was wanting to partake in whatever was going on in that tent. So much fun! So many good memories I have of being in YW myself & now I get to experience it again, through a leader's perspective. Oh, & I hope/know that we are going to be the same, me & the other leaders, partying like it's 1999 in our tent. So, here I start this journey, with a grin from ear to ear on my face.....

California knows how ta partay....

Wish you were here.... Oh wait, I wish I was still there.... We just got back from Cali late Friday night, or actually really early Saturday morning if we are getting technical (3:00 am puh-lease, we were supposed to be home by 11:00 pm, I'll explain later...). It was the most fun I have had in a while. My sister Stacy & her family live in Monterey & were kind enough to let us come spend spring break with them. So much to get to & I am going to overload you with pix, but hey, this is actually the scaled down version, so don't hate. A joke me a make, pix are the best part right? The pic above is from the evening we went to Carmel Beach & had a bonfire/BBQ/smore party. It was uber gorgeous & so much fun. When we first arrived it was raining & I said, we'll at least stay a minute & watch the waves crash & like 10 min later the storm had passed & we were able to stay & do the whole shabang. This was one of our fave things we did while we were there, here's a few more pix (by the by, I am not necessarily going in order of when we actually did stuff)....


We also went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium (it's the one in the movie "Seven Pounds", fabu), so awesome, the boys loved it! They had sharks & jelly fish and all sorts of sea-a-deasy life, it was sweet cause Stacy & Chris had managed to get some passes from people in their ward so we were able to forgo the $30 entrance fee & get in for free instead (always a much better plan). Here's some pictorials....

This place called Point Lobos was also another favorite of ours. We did a little hike to get to where you look out & I feel like I keep repeating myself, but I don't know how else to describe it, it was AMAZING! There were 30-40 ft waves coming up & crashing right on the rocks by us. We definitely got wet a few times. Oh, & you could see a bunch of seals & sea lions playing in the water & on a rock a little ways out. Breathtaking.....


Here is a couple other random pix...

Jaden & Aly kickin it at the Tide Pools

My boyz at the beach livin it up Cali style

Us at the Pier on Cannery Row

Alright, now for the whole getting home 4 hours later than planned, scroll to the next pic & you'll start to understand. We got to Donner's Pass & it was a nightmare, this is actually a modest picture of the snow, it was much worse in other places (this is just when I happened to think to click a photo of it). We got through this huge long line & then realized that Chains were required on our car (p.s. we had taken the Prism to save on gas) from that point on. Do you think that we just had an extra pair of chains laying around? Nope. We had to turn back around, buy some, install them & go back through the line & then go through a winter wonderland......in April......in California! What? But we made it home safe & sound! That's all I asked for the whole ride home, literally, I don't think that I have ever said so many prayers on a road trip before!


Thank you sooooooo much O'gwins for such a ball of a time! Mike & I fell in love with Monterey. We kept joking that we were going to move out there. But it wouldn't be a joke if we had a few extra million dollars laying around. Every day was an adventure & you could be somewhere & then drive just 2 miles in a different direction & it looks like you are in a completely different place. Everything was beyond beautiful, but the best part of it all was getting to spend time with the fam! Love you guys! We did a bunch more stuff that I am going to blog about soon, with more pix! But this was all the time I had to put up right now. So, this post is to be continued... As are most of my posts I've noticed. Still need to get on to continue them. Soon. But the one that goes along with this one is a definite go! Miss you already Monterey, Stacy, Chris, Aly, Lise & Kate! Air Kisses!