Disneyland & California Adventure

When I was growing up, we went to Disneyland every year that I can remember. Going there brings back so many good memories. It makes me feel carefree again (that is untill I see the credit card bill at the end of the month-yikes). It was fun to share all of the magic with my own kids. Lauren had so much fun and is already telling Chad and I that she misses Disneyland and needs to go back.


Lauren was so excited to go on the Roger Rabit rollar coster ride in Toone Town. I don't think she was prepared for how fast it would go. She scramed so loud and just grabed ahold of me. I thought for sure that she was terrified. But once we got off, I asked if she wanted to go again. She surprised me by saying yes, so then Chad took her a second time. My delicate little girl loved all of the rollar coasters. Who knew? She loved the Haunted Mansion, the Pirates, everything. Evan was terrified of every ride, except for It's a Small World. (you are singing the song in your head, arn't you.) He loved it.


(Toone Town)

We went on the Fairess Wheel in California Adventure. Lauren LOVED it. When I asked her what ride she was on, she said "We are in a rollar coaster box!!" Funny girl.



Evan, on the other hand, not so much of a fan.



We also went on the bumper cars, but they were soooo slow. (someone must have sued) They should have called them the gentle nudge cars. But Lauren didn't seem to mind.


We had lots of fun. I would like to go again when Evan is a little bit older so that he can enjoy it as much as Lauren did. I love my family, and what I love doing best is play with them. I am so grateful that I got to give to my children a piece of my childhood that I love so much.

We love the Beach

We in the Triplett family love the beach. And our favorite beach is Pointe Dume. Before I met Chad, I would take a book with me and hike up the rocks at Pointe Dume. I would sit at the top and over look the ocean while I read. When I dated Chad, we would often walk the sandy shore line, hand in hand. Now that we have kids, we spend the whole day at the beach chasing waves and building sand castles. Anyway you slice it, a day at the beach is so relaxing. The sound of the waves as it crashes againts the sand, the salt on your lips, the wind in your hair: we just love the beach.










Yes, we love the beach so much. It is fun to share all the joy that Chad and I get from the beach with Lauren and Evan. And as you can tell, they love the beach just as much as we do. A trip to California wouldn't be complete without a trip to the beach. (again, we took about a million pictures, it was hard to narrow it down.)

California Fun

I reread my last blog post about Sydney, and I realized that I made a lot of spelling mistakes, well more the usual. When I wrote it, I was real upset and emotional-so that is my excuse.

Now, I think that we have had to much sadness on my blog this past week, it is time to write something a little more fun! I found the thumb drive that had a bunch of pictures from California on it. We still havn't found our camera, but I am starting to think that it is just lost. Oh well :) At least I have some good pictures of the beach and Lauren with the princesses.

Lauren loved Belle. She did tell Belle that when "I was born I didn't know anything and now I am 4. So I am just learning."





Belle walked Lauren over to Ariel. Lauren loved Areil. She was real sweet with her.

Lauren told Ariel that she "loved her bueatiful necklace."

And Ariel returned the complement by telling Lauren that she loved her hair.

And then she went to see Mulan.



Lauren was enchanted with the princesses. We took a million pictures. It was hard to narrow it down to these ones. She loved them and couldn't stop talking about them all day. I will post some more California pictures tomarow.

Our Saddness

Last night, I had decided that the blog that I would right today was going to be about the Killer's Concert. I came out of the arena full of adranalin. It was such an amazing show. There just didn't seem to be anything ealse to write about. We got home and thanked Chad's mom for all the work she did. We got home pretty late. In passing, Chad's mom had mentioned that she had not seen our little Sydney all day long.

After she left, Chad and I spent the next two hours looking everywhere in our house. In all the cubbords and little nooks that she loves to cuddle up into. Sydney always comes when we call her. She is always there to greet us at the door. When we couldn't find her, Chad got into the car and drove up and down the streets. We were now afraid that she might have gotten hit by a car. But he couldn't find her. When he got home, I had mentioned that she loved to walk the fence line. I hoped that she haddn't fallen over the fence since our neighbor has two big dogs. Chad went outside to check. He was gone a long time. By this time it was 2 A.M. I heard a hard knock at the front door. I reconized the weight and sound of it to be Chad's. My heart leaped because I thought for sure that Chad had found our little spitfire. When I opened the door, he looked at me and said "I found her...she is dead."




My heart broke and the tears just pored out. Chad gathered me in my arms and there we stayed, at the bottom of the stairs with the frount door open, for at least 10 minutes, while we shared our sarrow. I couldn't belive that she was gone. I tryed to remember the last time I had seen her, and I couldn't think. She was gone. And I would never be able to feel the weight of her on my chest as she slept. This is so hard for me to write. As anyone who has animals in their home can testify, these little creaters become family. They give so much love. I didn't know how I was going to tell Lauren. She always said that Sydney was her cat. She loved her so much.

Of course my mind thought of all the fun times we have had with Sydney. She was a little girl with so much personality. She was so fiesty. And, oh boy did she talk alot. She patiently let Lauren dress her up in ribbons and bows. Lauren would carry her around with her arms tightly holding onto to Sydney just below her armpits, Sydneys back legs dangiling and draging on the floor. Everytime I got out the bills, she all of the sudden was there, all stretched out on top of all the papers. When I opened a book or a magazine, she would lay right on it or push it away. She would lay her body across the keyboard whenever I went to write a blog. Even now, the absence of her on my keyboard brings a little pain into my heart. She has always been there. Ever since Chad and I were first married. She has always been a part of our lives. A small part of me always thought she would be. I have lots of stories of her. The time she scared the crap out of Chad and I when we were watching The Blair Witch Project, or the time she jumped up on the table and missed. She was so embarressed, she ran to the cornor and wouldn't come out. Out of all the stories, I guess I would like to share the last time Sydney and I were together.

I was up late at night reading a book. It is the only time I can get through a whole chapter. So when everyone sleeps, I read. I was on the laying on the couch with my book proped open when Sydney jumped up and pushed my book away. Then she started her long slow process of finding a comfortable spot. (First, she walks in circles for a couple of minutes. Then she sits down and kneads you with her paws of a couple of more minutes. But then she jumps up and circles some more. Once that is done, she is down kneading you just a little bit more. Finally she settles down and is still. This whole process has been known to take up to fifteen minutes). I didn't want to wait for Sydney to get comfortable, so I just picked her up and put her on the ground. But Sydney isn't one to take no for an answer, so immediatly, she was back on my chest, pushing my book away. I again picked her up and put her on the ground. But up she was, one more time. Third time is the charm they say. So I waited untill Sydney did her little OCD ritual, and once she was comfortably purring on my chest, I picked up my book and read around her furry ears. I am so glad that I didn't kick her off a third time. It was just me and Sydney and a good book. I will always cherish those last few minutes I had with her. And everytime I open a book, I will miss her not being there to push it away from me.

(This is Lauren saying good bye to her friend, her little kitty, this morning after our little "funeral" for Sydney).

My Daddy

(My dad and I by my dad's truck at his work.)


On Sunday, the primary did a cute little program in sacrament meeting. I sat there all by myself and watch my little girl sing about familys. When her part came up, she was a rockstar!! I couldn't have been prouder of her if she was winning an oscar. Somewhere in the middle of it, I started to cry. I know, big surprise! I cry all the time. But the real big surprise was what I was crying about.

Usually something like this, all the "familys can be together forever" talk, it makes me think of my mom. I usually sit there and feel sorry for myself. I think of all that I want and can't seem to have. But this time, my thoughts went strait to my dad. I was crying, not out of self-pity, but out of gratfulness. I guess that whole letter my mom wrote me was actually a good thing. It let me start to let go of the whole idea of her. The fact that I thought of my dad at that moment is prof that I am starting to heal.

I love my dad. I have always been a Daddy's girl. I remember many times as a child, sitting in the garage with him as he would work on different projects. His grease stained and calloused hands would move with the persion of a surgon as he brought a dying engine in a truck back to life. Or they would flow like an artist as he would creat a book shelf or a dinning room table out of a mere hunk of wood. Those same powerful hands would become gentle as he turned the pages of the scriptures or layed them on my head to give a blessing. Those leather thick hands would wipe away tears or lovingly enfold me as I cryed. He could pick me up and throw me in the air as if I weighed nothing, and then tuck me into my covers at night with such tenderness. He has always been there for me and I suspect he always will be.

He is my one constant in my life. Where others have come and gone, he has always been there in the background cheering me on. He is a quit man. Anyone who knows him can testify to that fact. He isn't very complicated either. He works hard and loves completly. He was devistated when my mom demanded a divorce. Up untill the end, he always thought that they would end up back together. Even now, he never says an unkind thing about my mom. I asked him once about it, because my mom hasn't been as kind to him. He told me that he wanted the best for her, that he would always care for her. He told me that she is the mother of his children, and because of that, no matter what she has said or done, he couldn't hate her. My dad doesn't say much, but what he does say is always wise.

I first felt the peace of the gospel by listening to it through his strong voice. It was at his knee that I not only bounced on a wild horse, but I also learned right from wronge. And so I cryed. I may not have a "functional" family, but really who does. What I do have is a Daddy that has been there always and will be there always. I came crying to him recently (yes, I still go crying to my dad, as I did as a child). After I did my crying, I told him that I was sorry for bugging him. He told me then that he loved me, that I was "his little girl, his Lauren." That made me feel very blessed. I love you Daddy, thanks for your constant support and unconditonal love.


(My dad and I at my open house when Chad and I got married.)

(Lauren and my Dad at the zoo. I looked for a while for a picture of my dad with Evan. I know we have some, but anyway. He is such a good Grandpa. Lauren and Evan just adore him.)

Evan's California Birthday

We have always been in California for everyone of Lauren's birthdays. Her birhtday is Dec. 29th, and since we are out there for Christmas anyway, we also celebrate her birthday too. I always say that Lauren is the best Christmas presant I have ever gotten. And Evan is the best birthday presant-since his birthday is Sept 12th and mine is the 23rd. This time we were out in California on Evan's birthday. So we (and when I say we I mean Mimi and Aunt Dawn) through together a little birthday celebration. It was fun for me to celebrate his birthday with all of my california family. We went to Bruce and Dawn's house for a little bit of swimming, some hamburger and hot dogs, and of course, yummy birthday cake.


Evan loves the water! He went under twice. But that didn't stop him from having fun in the Dawn's pool. Lauren, also loves water. But as you can see, she not only had floaties on, but she also was on a little raft the whole time. LOL! They make me laugh. Sometimes I think, are they really from the same gene pool? They are both individuals with their own unique personalities. They are so much fun.




After we had our fill of swimming, we went inside and had some hamburgers and hot dogs that Bruce made. They were delicious. Technically, Bruce, Dawn, Nikki and Jennifer arn't even family. Dawn is the sister of Chad's step-mom (Mimi). But that has never stoped them from making me feel like family. Family is so important to me. I have learned that family doesn't always mean "relation". These people are my family and they treat me like I am too.


Lauren had so much fun playing with her "cousin" Taylor. She misses Taylor when we are not in California and she looks forward to playing with her when we are there.




After I took the pictures of them in the bedroom, they told me to "go away. No big girls allowed, just little girls." And it begins already. Apperently, me being over the age of 6, is "old" and therefore so uncool. We then went outside and smashed up a pinata, which Evan would have nothing to do with.


Tay and Lauren split the booty, while Evan, easy going kid that he is, was content to knaw on a candy necklace for an hour.




Lauren's favorite prize was a toe ring. I had no idea she even knew what a toe ring was. But once it feel out of the pinata, that was it. This is how her conversations went for the rest of the night.

"I want some cake. Do you like my bueatiful toe ring?"
"I am playing with Taylor!!! Have you seen my bueatiful toe ring?"
"Daddy, I'm hungry...and have you seen my bueatiful toe ring?"

She is a funny girl!

After the pinata, it was time for birthday cake! Mimi got Evan a cute Mickey Mouse "playhouse disney" cake. We sang happy birthday buddy and then we ate.


Singing "Happy Birthday" He is so tender-hearted! I love it.

Make a wish, and blow that sucker out. (ok, so I had to help. Maybe next year he will get the idea and blow out his own candle.)



The cake was so good, rich and sugary. I called it a migrain on a plate. It was so worth it though.

(Evan at a year old. He always looked like one of those little dolls from the '60s)

Evan is about the sweetest boy that was ever born. He has such goodness in him. He is sometimes over shadowed by his older sister, but he doesn't mind. He is content to let her shine. He loves being around people, but hates being the center of attention. He loves animals, music, and books. I truely feel so honored to be his mom. I am amazed on a daily basis that my sweet little monster are mine. I love my little buddy boy. He has the kindest eyes. So soft. It goes right along with his heart.