Happy Birthday to Me!

My dear sweet husband had a theme for my big 3-0!  

It's been (and still is) a goal to some day be on this game show (it is seriously a favorite) and since I couldn't be at the taping that day, Ben brought the game to me. And it was a crazy fun day!

I woke up to Tim McGraw singing, My Next 30 Years and played a pricing game to win my birthday present.  I did.  I won a decorative pillow I've wanted for our bedroom set (sounds boring but they are about $40 a pop so I would never splurge on them myself) and a wireless/bluetooth speaker.

Then I had to guess the right price to win my birthday doughnut.  (A Carter family tradition--doughnuts for your birthday)  And if you are local, make sure you try some of the new doughnut stores in town--they are AMAZING!  Much fresher and less greasy than some of the older stores around here.

After breakfast, we got Xander to school, Ben put an address in my phone and I drove there.  I arrived at a day spa to have a facial and massage for 3 hours!! So awesome!

I finished just in time to be told to meet my Dad for a lunch date.  Ben had told him to take me to Olive Gardens all-you-can-eat lunch (an old favorite) and my Dad did not disappoint!  We had a great time.

I got home, and had some downtime.  Ben had found Plinko online, so I played that for awhile before we set off on our next adventure....

 

Yes, I won a trip to miniature golf with my two big kids and Ben.  The Websters took care of Abby & Violet and so we enjoyed 18 holes!  I haven't played since I went on a date when I was 16--and I am not very good.  But each of us got at least one hole in one--even Eliza, even me!  It was fun (hot but fun).  After golf, we made it home and Grandma came over so Ben & I could go out to dinner.  After dinner we enjoyed a walk in the older section of our town and bought some caramel popcorn from a local candy maker! 

I got to have a few other celebrations with family and they were fabulous.  My Mom made me a dessert I've been wanting to try--so I can take Nutella and Cheese Danish off my list (and yes, it was delicious and super easy to make) and I inherited my Grandmother's pearls.  I LOVE the classic look of pearls - they are one of  my favorite types of jewelry PLUS this is the strand I wore on my wedding day--so I was very excited about this gift.  Thanks Mom & Dad!!

 

And with all that--I'm 30.  

I'm still in disbelief that I'm 30.  I'm working on a project that I might share if I ever finish to help define me and what I want to do in my "next 30 years".  When  I was 19 I made "to-do" list of things I'd like to accomplish in my life--now, I am going to make a "to-be" list.  We'll see. 

Thank you to every one for all the birthday wishes, treats and love.  It was such a good day! 

LAS VEGAS!!

We drove our 4 children to Las Vegas for a little family fun and my big brothers wedding!  I didn't get many pictures because I forgot the stroller at home and so my hands and arms were occupied the entire time with little bodies.  But here are a few and I'm sure I'll add more when my sisters send me some (hint, hint).

I wish Abby had really been this happy the WHOLE time.  But actually she cried off & on the ENTIRE ride. She was pretty miserable (and so were we because of her).

 We didn't quite make it to dinner in the city we'd planned on.  So we watched the freeway signs for signs of food.  A little town of Boron boasted 2 restaurants.  We got off -- in the middle of nowhere-- finally asked for some help at the quick mart (he said, "go to THE stop sign.  On the right is American.  On the left is Mexican.  You are going to the Mexican aren't you?)  We found Domingos and enjoyed an amazing dinner!  hands down, the best Mexican I've had in awhile. Everything was FRESH and made from scratch.  It was awesome.  Ben & Xander spoke Spanish to the waiters and we had a great time.  After dinner though, encouraged by the waiters that Vegas was only 3-4 hrs away, we decided to finish the drive that night instead of postponing it one more day.  So, if you are ever in Boron or Tehacapi...give them a call!

 We did make it in one day and were so glad we did.  We woke up refreshed the next morning and met my folks and my sister Tara at breakfast.  Then we headed out for the day.  (Don't forget, we didn't have a stroller).  We started in little Paris and I got to see the mock Eiffel Tower.  Pretty cool if you ask me.  The indoor area was especially beautiful. 

We got to walk down the strip for a long time.  This is how Violet walked.  I guess she knows Vegas...

I was very disenchanted by the whole thing...the strip is pretty blah.  Especially compared to the Champs-Elysee!  But the kids got to see Batman and Dora and SpongeBob! So they were happy.

 

We met up with Tara & the Henderson crew for lunch.  Check out this cheesy grin 

That night, the Felix's had arrived so we took the kids to a pirate show that was touted as being family friendly.  It wasn't quite what I would call family friendly--but the special effects were pretty cool! And of course, any time with cousins is good time!

 More to come later...

Girl Trip to the Sacramento Zoo

The girls took a morning with Nana and we all went to the Sacramento Zoo.  It was super fun!  Thanks Nana for joining us.  (Of course, we raced back for 2 soccer games...)

It was that kind of a day

I can't even recall all the crazy things that happened on the day of this picture but I can't help but post it.  Poor Abby is really annoyed with us these days.  She is sick of being in the car, tired of us carting her around...she just wants to play OUTSIDE.  Preferably on the tramp please!  I promised her our yard will become a priority so it is safe for her to outside by herself.  Secretly though--I wish it were socially acceptable for me to throw a good tantrum some times.  I'm ready for a slower pace too.

I turned around

I was suppose to be cooking but was struggling to get it done.  I turned around and here is what I saw

 

it's no wonder things don't get done around here.

Maybe next time I should take the hint, stop cooking, play with the kids and we can have cold cereal for dinner.

Soccer 2012

Soccer has taken this home by storm!  With 2 players in the house these days--we have practice 4 times a week PLUS Ben's indoor games.  We're always on the hunt for shin guards or water bottles or socks...It's all balls all the time. 

It's Xander's 3rd year with the Kung-foo Fighters.  He is learning so much this year--the team is starting to play positions and learn their strengths.  Xander LOVES every part of it.  He wants to be a STRIKER but is better as a midfielder "wing" or goalie.  (Maybe it's time that I learn how to play soccer?)  The team got put in the top division this year and has struggled against the teams so we are hoping to drop down a division for the 2nd half so the boys will have a little more success.

 

 Xander has so many friends on his team.  The middle guy is a friend from our old ward.  He is one of the reasons I wish I had put Xander in school the year before I did--he is a great kid!  The next is a group of kids we met on either our soccer team or kindergarten last year.  Two of my best friends in the whole world are ladies I met in first grade--when I realized that Xander is that age--I hope that he will find true and lasting friendships that will be able to continue until they get old too!

And here is our little RAZZMATAZZ! 

Eliza can be quite timid when she wants to be.  But the soccer field IS NOT one of those places.  She really has learned a bunch (or learned it from watching Xander) and is doing super well!  She LOVES being on her team and playing.  Eliza is seriously a rockstar --she keeps her hands up so it looks like she is pushing but really she's just making a little bubble so no one can get in her space.  It is so fun to see her shine, feel strong and feel accomplished.  So far this season she has scored 9 goals!! (ok, they are playing half field with no goalies but it's still AWESOME!)

Soccer is fun but I foresee a lazy winter ahead...

Ringling Brothers & Barnum Bailey Circus

I got an email from Ben one day telling me he had won tickets to the CIRCUS.  I was so giddy I started jumping up and down giggling.  (No joke, ask the kids).  The kids were super excited because I was but I refused to them why--I told them that Daddy could.  Truth be told I have wanted to go to the circus since I was seriously little.  It seemed like every year in September Ringling Brothers would come to Sacramento (I know because that's my birthday month and I always hoped for tickets to the circus) and I remember seeing the commercials and wanting to go so. bad!

Anyways, a week later, Ben, Xander, Eliza & I got t go to the circus.  It was everything we could have hoped for.  It was fabulous!  Pictures don't do it justice so I stopped trying to worry about pictures and I enjoyed the show.  The show was 2.5 hours long and it held our attention every minute.  The only difficult part for the kids was getting them to focus on the side show instead of watching the set-up for the next act.  :)  We had to keep directing their attention to all the many things going on!  I'd highly recommend it!

Apple Hill on Labor Day

Our Labor Day was jam packed with crazy fun! Ben & I started the day SUPER early and went and served in the LDS temple. When we returned home, the Webster family was at our house with a HUGE breakfast of pancakes, eggs, meat, juice--it was awesome! After playing and eating we headed up to check out some family history sites in Placerville and then went to Apple Hill for a relaxing afternoon. We had so much fun. Gotta LOVE where we live!!

2 Babies

This is the way we do (or don't do) things these days.

Quick Trip

I was asked to participate in another orchestra concert--with the Sacramento Valley Choral Society. We're playing the Messiah for a Christmas concert. I've played it a couple times and I know how difficult it is so I knew I needed to get a bass and get practicing. I reserved the instrument and was going to go pick it up and then decided that I really didn't want to drive to Sacramento by myself. So I called my Mom. She declined. But then called me right back and said that she and my Dad would go. When they got to my house to pick me up, they told me to bring Eliza too. We got the bass and then went on a treat drive. We went to my Dad's favorite Mexican bakery and had some amazing cookies. Then we drove through my old neighborhood before landing at Vics Ice Cream. It's a creamery in Sacramento that has been around for a lot of years. It was a fun, sporadic and VERY yummy trip with my folks and Eliza.