Updates Journal Style....

Because this blog is the closest thing I have to a journal at this current time, I have been feeling like I need to "journal" some updates.  SO!-starting with oldest to youngest....here is what each member of the White family is/has been up to:

Paul:
Busy being the master planner,executor and driver for the crazy, busy month of March. The man navigated through California and then Washington and Oregon like a pro in under three weeks time, which is a good thing since I am completely hopeless past SLC. ha.  I couldn't find North if I tried-unless of course I was in dire need of a Target-then I am like a hound dog.;)  He is still working hard at ATK, moonlighting as a environmental engineer....which funny enough is allowing him to use his actual biochemistry degree more than ever.  Go figure. He is constantly in the middle of a "few" projects and always thinking of a few more-of which I usually try and veto, but to no avail.  Still running, lifting weights and all that jazz.....all of this while I am usually at home eating chips and salsa and watching the real housewives of orange county. (shut up! I know.....guilty pleasure) He is in the best shape of his life and hopefully it comes in handy when we are floating the middle fork of the Salmon river this summer, which the very mention of it has him pooping his pants a little bit.  HA!  Can't wait! Most weeks he pushes close to 55 hour work weeks, but somehow he always finds time for his family.  He spent an entire weekend with Easton in full-blown "pinewood derby" mode.  (more about that under: Easton. Ha..) and has worked countless hours with Allie on her math and can be often found curled up asleep with Olivia in what they call their "sweaty time"  kind of gross-kind of the cutest thing in my entire universe. Love! 

ME!:
I recently turned 37(shut the front freaking door!) Holy shizballs....that is getting awfully close to 40! Holy old grandma mode! haha....but not really. Actually I am just glad to still get the chance to be here-and it just kind of keeps getting better and better......truly!...minus my damn gray hair! (thank you very much for THAT dad!)  I remember Oprah talking on her show one time(I was in my early twenties when I heard this) and she was talking about what happens in your forties.  She said, "All of a sudden you become pretty confident in who you are and care a whole lot less what others think of you and when that happens, there is a freedom that lets you begin to truly live your life"  You know what? She was dead. on!!! and there is such freedom in that!  These last few years have been some of the best years of my life and mostly because my entire perspective has changed.
For my birthday we snuck away for about 72 hours for the best weekend of my life: BOB SEGER!!  I have talked about(and will in the future, I'm sure!) Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band on this blog .  When we found out several months ago that he was doing another tour-we decided we HAD to go. Paul is just as big of a fan as I am-not sure I could stay married to him if he wasn't!;)  The closest he came to Utah was Washington and because Paul travels to Florida and Alabama so much for work-we had sky miles and free hotel points(it's a nice trade-off for being a single mom every so often) that made it a pretty affordable weekend getaway. 

BYE UTAH!.......

HELLO OREGON!.....

We flew up on a Friday morning and had to rent a car to drive up to Tacoma-we rented a NEON blue convertible Ford Mustang! I nearly wet my pants laughing as we pulled out of the rental garage.  It was the same amount as to rent the Accord or Maxima-so we looked at each other and we were both like "Heck YES we will take that one!" and we hit I-5 North, with the top down and Seger blaring and our hair(or mine-ha) blowing in the wind.  SO ridiculous and yet?......it will go down as one of my favorite memories ever. I'm sure of it. 

That night was the concert and we were on the front row of the side section-which when he came over to the side-he was only a few feet away from us. We danced and sang along to every single song he sang-because to be honest, there isn't one of his songs that I don't know-WORD FOR WORD!

(sorry for the pic quality-it was my cell phone-and I wasn't all too concerned with getting a great photo-Oh heeeeyyy there Bob!)

I'm surprised how many people don't know who he is or what he sings.....but a lot of people don't know*sigh*....so here is some vintage Seger-circa 1980.  Most people know this song-

....and THIS one.  He doesn't look like this anymore...but he sure sounds the same!

And THIS one(one of my very favorites)....

So there you have it....a quick lesson on ol' Bobby Seger! And just for the record- "Live Bullet" is in my top favorite three albums of all time AND it was released the very month I was born. I was born in the wrong generation-I just know it.;)

 The next day we had to catch our plane out of Portland-because we had to get home in time for Easter. (Oops-maybe forgot to check when Easter was when we scheduled this little trip).  Thanks heavens I have a great mom and dad who were awesome to step in and color eggs with my kids while we were gone!

Allie:

 She is almost 11! WHAT?! That freaks me out WAY more than my own age. When I think about her going into Young Women's next year.....I'm just kind of mind blown.  She has had such a great 5th grade year. Her teacher, Mr. Wankier has been the most perfect fit for her! She has a great little group of friends and that is helping me to feel better about sending her to ACYI-at least a little bit. She loves to play on her Ipod and I broke down and let her get a Instagram account....but don't worry....I'm watching her like the helicopter mom that I am! She LOVES Austin and Ally(show on the Disney Channel) and picks out her outfits every night for school-I'm talking the ENTIRE outfit. Serious stuff here people.;) She also writes a "family newspaper" for us and hangs it on the fridge.  We get a new "paper" every Sunday.  Cutest thing of my life.

Easton:
For the last few weeks...he has been all consumed with the Pinewood Derby. He has really loved being in scouts and looks forward to going every week.  He really, really, really wanted to win the pinewood derby and even checked out a book from the Bookmobile titled, "HOW TO WIN THE PINEWOOD DERBY!" haha.....but it isn't easy when you are in a ward full of design engineer dads. His car did really well taking first or second in all the heats, but it wasn't fast enough to win-maybe next year buddy!

He is looking forward to another summer of golf, baseball and the swimming pool. Its been a LOOONG winter for Easton.  Like Allie, he too is semi-obsessed with his ipod.  Mine craft(a game) is his favorite time waster.;)  He is doing well in school and can NOT wait for summer break-and FREEDOM! ;)

Olivia:
She just turned 4! All she wanted was a "Ariel with a tail" dress-up and a Ariel nightgown. So...that is what she got.(Thank you Amazon and the Disney Store)

 

To say that Olivia is obsessed with dressing up would be the biggest understatement of the century. The ONLY time I can keep her dressed is when she is at school, church or gymnastics class. Not. Joking.  Here is the picture proof.  (and these are only the ones on my phone!)

So....this is different. ;)

 

Time out...two different times.

It's only 40 degrees outside.....no big deal.

"dress-ups" work for nap time too. haha....

 

 

 

You can always tell where she has been.....

 

She has been crazy for Ariel ever since we got home from Disneyland.  I think I can recite the movie line for line.  She is enjoying pre-school and her new friends there.  She wrote her own name on every Valentine card to her classmates and was so proud of herself! I also caved and signed her up for gymnastics which she has LOVED! She is fearless, outgoing and doesn't have inhibition one.  I went to the post office yesterday and while in line, she made a friend. She reminds me of Allie that way.  Every Friday when I pick her up from school, we go get pizza pockets from the Yogurt Factory.  They all know her by name now.  haha....

 

 

So.....that's it for now.  I'm tired of typing and quite honestly?......the chips and salsa are screaming my name from the pantry. I must go and answer their call.  ;)