Being Spontaneous!

Those who know me well, know that I love a good plan and like to think things through. Sometimes though to a fault. I know that sometimes you just have to do stuff without thinking too much or you can talk yourself out of a lot of fun life experiences. So it's a good thing that my friend Laura is all about seizing the moment and being spontaneous! She has been so good for me and taught me to loosen up a little bit and just go with the flow when a moment presents itself.

Yesterday afternoon she called me while I was out running errands. It was about thirty minutes before I was supposed to pick up Maryn from Preschool. She asked if I wanted to drive up to Tennessee to go to the Aquarium in Chattanooga with her, Nick, and the boys. We decided the sooner we hit the road the better, so the plan was for her to come pick me up from my house and then we all get Maryn together and hit the road. This is where I had that internal 'Sarah Struggle'. I wasn't even home yet, I was out running errands, the kids had not had lunch or a nap, I was not planning on leaving the state that day and we were going to pick up and make this happen in thirty minutes? My first inclination was "No, I needed a plan before taking a day trip." But then I thought "Sarah, roll with it and don't be such a stick in the mud!" So I raced home, threw some stuff together and we all went to go pick up Maryn from school and surprise her with a fun, impromptu day trip. I'm glad I didn't overthink it, because we ended up really having a great day.

Laura had Twizzlers on hand for drum-solo jam-sessions in the car on the way down!

How did Nick, Thatcher and Maryn get in the tank?

Brynnie was wide-eyed and taking it all in.

Laura was getting a kick out of Max, he really liked all the fishies!

Neither Brynna or Thatcher go too far without their monkeys!
Those two are cute, little buddies!

Laura getting giggles out of Max again. That kid really is too stinkin' cute!

They even had butterfly gardens at the Aquarium! It was so cool seeing so many beautiful butterflies fluttering around!

Brynna checking all of them out!

Have you hugged a penguin today?

Thanks for such a fun, spontaneous day Nick and Laura!
You guys rule!

In Search of the Perfect Dress!

Friday night Maryn, Brynna, and I had a fun 'Girl's Night Out' date with Tracy and Ansley Ensign (my new sis-in-law, Megan's, mom and sister)! We hit the mall in search of the perfect Flower Girl dresses for Aaron and Megan's upcoming wedding. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love the Ensign's. They are just so cool and we had a great time! The girls are obsessed with Ansley, who is so good to my two little monkeys. I've decided she can just come live at my house, because when Ansley is in the room, Maryn and Brynna are totally all about her, which makes life really easy for me!

Ready to conquer the mall!

Maryn being a diva, hmmm what's new?!

Tracy had found these little dresses for the girls! Aren't they beautiful?! She ordered pretty, pale yellow sashes for the dresses also, with big, beautiful bows and the girl's initials monogrammed on the front. She also took them and bought them white ballet slippers to wear with their dresses. Which we thought was appropriate since dance is such a big part of Megan's life. The girls, needless to say were thrilled and very excited to have new ballerina shoes! They were in their fairy tale imagination heaven. When it was time to change out of their dresses, Brynna had a meltdown and said "I don't want to take it off! I'M PRETTY!"
Again, as you can see, the girl's are just glued to Ansley! She wanted her dress to be a little different from the little girls and fell in love with this one. Isn't she beautiful?! Her and Tracy tried it on with a cute little black jacket and also with a white shawl. I know Ansley is going to look beautiful no matter which look they decide to go with!
We finished off the night with a bite to eat at Burger King. Tracy and I were able to just sit and talk while Ansley kept the girls happy on the playground. It really was such a fun night! Tracy, I can't thank you enough for spoiling those little girls of mine so much! I can not wait to see my beautiful daughters all dolled up on Megan's big day! You made this so special for them!

This Thing Called Parenthood...

When the girls had their slumber party at their Grammy's last weekend, Justin and I were reflecting over our morning paper and bagels and orange juice. It was so wonderful having quiet time to wake up and leisurely stay in bed until we were ready to get out. To quietly read the paper and eat breakfast without being interrupted or having demands being made on us. To get dressed without wondering what was being destroyed in the next room. I thought to myself, this is really nice, BUT... I was sadly reminded that so many people from my generation choose this life not as just a treat, but a lifestyle. It was all about Justin and I that day and it was wonderful. But it seems to me that so many people my age are afraid of giving up their own time and convenience. Of making that big step to it not being all about them.

I look back over the past five years, to when I was still pregnant with Maryn. I really had no idea as that naive, big-bellied, 22 year old girl, exactly how much being a parent would change my life. It has changed my life in ways too many to count. For the past five years since Maryn and Brynna and now soon to be Lauryn have come into my life, I have sacrificed my body, my sleep, my comfort, and my sanity. I have been humbled and humiliated and had to come to grips with every weakness I possess. But, I can honestly say I would not trade a single minute of it. Not for all the leisurely Sunday mornings in the world. Not for having money for myself rather than it going to my my kids. Not for a great career or that Education I wish I could have finished. Not for anything. I am so grateful to be a Mom. The thought of my kids brings tears to my eyes and I know that this is what I was put on this Earth to do.

I can honestly say, there is no pet so wonderful, no career so rewarding, no lifestyle so carefree that I would trade it for the experience of being a parent. I have heard my children's little voices say "I love you Mommy!" or "I love my family!" and know that they really, in their pure hearts, mean it. I have been filled with peace and love as I watched their little chests rise and fall while watching them dream. I have marked their height as they have grown and with every inch seen them learn new things and come into their own personalities more and more. I have seen their smiles and experienced that strange and wonderful thing it does to your heart, that really only a parent can understand. My children, while not making my life any easier or convenient, have brought me a joy greater beyond any measure. And for that, I am grateful.

She Finally Stopped!

Maryn is notorious for going full-throttle until she absolutely has to succumb to exhaustion. Tonight, up until seconds before she crashed on the couch she was was running, yelling, squealing, climbing, poking, interrupting, laughing and basically manically squeezing every possible emotion out of her little dynamo body before it just quit on her. I love watching her sleep, because as much as I just love that child and her wild-woman personality, this is one of the few times that she is quiet and still. We'll be up again with this little Energizer Bunny again soon enough, so for now, I'm going to sit on the couch with my husband and enjoy the sound of silence!

Justin's Color Is...

What's Your True Color?

My Result: Brown

You're brown, a credible, stable color that's reminiscent of fine wood, rich leather, and wistful melancholy. Most likely, you're a logical, practical person ruled more by your head than your heart. With your inquisitive mind and insatiable curiosity, you're probably a great problem solver. And you always gather all of the facts before coming to a timely, informed decision. Easily intrigued, you're constantly finding new ways to challenge your mind, whether it's by reading the newspaper, playing a trivia game, or composing a piece of music. Brown is an impartial, neutral color, which means you tend to see the difference between fact and opinion easily and are open to many points of view. Trustworthy and steady, you really are a brown at heart.

What are you?
http://web.tickle.com/jumpto?test=colorogt&c=50652

I was reading a 'Brown' profile on a friend's blog and I thought "Hmm, that sounds like my husband!" So I had Justin take it and sure enough, my man is Brown! When we first got married some of those qualities, like everything being black and white or being able to seperate feelings and facts so easily, used to make me crazy. Now it's one of the things I absolutely love the most about him. He is my rock, my stability, and takes so much of the confusion out of this overthinkers life! Justin can size someone up almost immediately and I've discovered that after almost 9 years of marriage, the guy is right 99% of the time. He continues to wow and surprise me with his quiet, steady ways.

It Is My Favorite Color!

What's Your True Color?

My Result: Green

You're green, the color of growth and vigor. Good-hearted and giving, you have a knack for finding and bringing out the best in people. Green is the most down-to-earth color in the spectrum — reliable and trustworthy. People know they can count on you to be around in times of need, since your concern for people is genuine and sincere. You take pride in being a good friend. For you, success is measured in terms of personal achievement and growth, not by status or position. Rare as emeralds, greens are wonderful, natural people. It truly is your color!

What are you?
http://web.tickle.com/jumpto?test=colorogt&c=50652

She Has A Name!

-Lauryn McLean Young-

Justin and I finally found a moment of quiet this morning to sit down and decide upon a name for our little baby girl. We had had some ideas and had been going back and forth since the day we found out she was a girl, but never settling on anything for sure. Last night Justin's mom took Maryn and Brynna for a slumber party at her house. (Bless her!) So this morning when we woke up, the house was peaceful and still. Justin rolled over and put his hand on my belly and the baby just started doing acrobatics and jumping around in my belly. With as crazy and distracting as life has been lately, it was so fun to share a moment with just Justin, me, and her. I knew it was time we gave our little 'Pepper' a real name. I had been playing around in my mind with other names, but Justin was adamant that he wanted Lauryn. Which I also think is just beautiful, so Lauryn it was. For her middle name we had been again, toying around with other ideas and suddenly it just seemed right that it should be McLean. Not only because it's my maiden name and very meaningful to me, but I have always thought it was a beautiful name on it's own. So I feel blessed that our little Lauryn will always have a piece of her Momma and her heritage with her always. We are so excited and feel so blessed to be welcoming Lauryn into our family and home. We love you little girl!