Trying to Throw your Arms Around the World

It's a girl thing.. Jane Austen/Pride and Prejudice.. You can't ever get too much of it. :)

For some reason, I've thrown in some Les Miserables tunes over the past few days while I am crunching out work projects. There are a quite a few songs that pull on the heartstrings. I don't mean infiltrate you with depressing vids, but I just love the music and lyrics to express such heartfelt situations. Here are two of the many favs..Fatine's Death and Bring him Home.

Need to list: 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 random surprising facts about yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog!

3 Joys
1-My girls-they crack me up.
2- I have a body that works.
*I can get pregnant, see, run, dance, feel, hear, touch, taste, smell, and waterski!! :)
3- The knowledge and recognition of a higher power.

3 Fears
1- Someone abusing my children.
2-My teeth falling out.. I know silly.
3-Disease that will debilitate or kill people I love.

3 obsessions/ collections
1-A good massage. I get one every month.
2-Mandarin Orange body butter (Satsuma) and body wash from The Bath Shop. delish!
3-I am not always perfect, but I am a stickler with spelling.

3 Goals
1- Take the summer off of work to spend it at home with my girls.
2-To maintain a close relationship with my girls.
3-To do humanitarian work internationally.

3 random/surprising facts about myself
1-I showed my girls synchronized swimming videos on youtube last weekend!
I know..it is funny. This is because we were messing around at the pool and when I brought it up, they didn't know what it was.
* FYI-Canada had a pretty incredible routine. We also watched Japan, United States, basic synchro techniques, and Martin Shorts SNL synchro skit. I am stoked for the summer Olympics (one of my favorite things to watch.) Also, Martin Short is one of my favorite comedians.
2-I try to take notice of the sun rise over the mountains in the morning and the sunset at night as often as possible.
*I love the way the colors hit the clouds and light up the sky.
3-I have a favorite pilliow, which after numerous attempts to replace it with a new one have come up short-Yes, I pack it with me on trips and my girls try to sneak it from me because they agree, there ain't nuttin' like it around.


I am supposed to tag 5 people, but since this is all about 3's, I will tag 3 people.
1-Wendy Aposhian
2-Liz Mackay
3-Megan Smyth

Have fun ladies.

Sophie can do just about any trick underwater. Holding her breath, she does handstands, front and back flips, twists, etc. Emma is swimming the front crawl with ease and can speedily pass the Ariel swim toy. Her kick is one of the funniest things I have seen. I need to take pics of this because it is awesome.
Emma learned how to ride a "two-wheeler" bicycle this past week.

Both Sophie and Emma aren't too scraped up since the training wheels came off. Trace has really worked with them and has taken them to the park a lot. These girls and their bikes are inseparable these days.

This is a typical silly faced picture of Sophie!

For some reason, Sophie really likes Rachel Ray.

When she helps me in the kitchen, she pretends she is her. (I know, it IS funny.) Yesterday, I wanted Sophie to try dipping her snow pea in hummus. She was a little leery, so I told her that Rachel Ray does it and that it is totally delicious. After that, she immediately tried it (of course). Four seconds later, she was telling Emma that she needs to try the "Rachel Ray" dip. :)

Friday night, I got out the cowboy hat and went to the Strawberry Days Rodeo in Pleasant Grove with a some friends. I purchased a pack of 6 squirt guns for a buck at Walmart to keep us entertained. It was a super good time.

(From back to front)

Tiffany, Maren, Carrie (in white), Me and Shawna.

Shawna is from North Carolina, so her wonderful southern drawl added so much to the evening.

Moving ahead...The girls will be practicing for "The Little Mermaid" play the community is putting on this week.

The performance is Friday night and I am sure will be somewhat hysterical. After the billionth time Emma has requested to be Ariel in the play, I nicely said she wasn't old enough because she doesn't have boobies, yet. She hasn't asked again since.

Last weekend

I went with all the Coccimiglio girls for some eats and shoppin'. What great company and amazingly cool girls. I giggle thinking about our table conversation with my poor time keeping the waiter from overhearing it...hee hee :), having our picture taken by some random guy roaming the streets, our traxx ride, and watching us all raid the ice-cream store.

Tori, Jen, Breanne, Heidi, Heather, Ande, and I

Here are a few reasons why I like each of them.

Heather-Although at times she can be quiet, she is a hoot when she gets excited and starts talking about things she likes. She is very witty, so creative, very bright, and hysterical. I love it when she starts laughing so hard that she cries. She always serves the best food at her house and is welcoming to everyone. Its no wonder why the family usually ends up there on Sundays or mid-week to play or watch games.

Heidi-She is one of the most loving and luvable people you could ever meet. She is strong and very funny. She has the greatest smile, which is contagious. I always find myself laughing whenever we get together. She is a very happy person and who doesn't like to be around that?

Jen-Organization, organization, organization. She is one of the most organized people I have ever met, inside and out. I appreciate her smarts, her love of music, her funny sense of humor, her knowledge of history, and her love of the gospel.

Breanne-The Coccimiglio Barbie doll...seriously. She has a sense of style and class that is quite possibly impossible for me to achieve in this lifetime. Not only is she beautiful on the outside, but she is also very beautiful on the inside. She is one of the greatest girlfriends to have. She is so fun, so real, so genuine, can shoot a serious rooster waterskiing, can be a competitive game player, and can stand cleaning the most reisty of teeth!! :)
Tori-The newest addition to the Coccimiglio clan. I appreciate how excited she gets over things-like the Jazz! She goes with the flow and fits right in. I enjoy hearing her laugh and talk about what is going on in her life. She is very happy, very real, and very genuine-which are qualities that I really like in a person.

Ande-What a great second mom! She has the hugest heart and genuinely loves everyone. She enjoys sharing her insight and wisdom with people. She discusses whatever she feels will help them through the complicated twists in life. I appreciate her devotion to family and to the gospel. I appreciate her discipline with what she chooses to eat. She is a tough woman and has overcome difficult challenges to create the character she has today, which is admirable.

I love all you ladies so much!! Thanks for being such great friends!

Let's face it. This just doesn't cut it for me. This confirms that there is NO WAY for me to like this machine. Is this TRUELY what people wear to exercise? Sneakers and regular socks are not necessary...nice. Can I seriously identify with this woman doing a workout? Uh, no.The weather is nice and it is taunting me. I have a ripped IT band which requires another 4 weeks of recovery before I can run on it. Yeah, I don't want to talk about it. In the meantime, I've been mopingly getting on one of these idiotic elipticals all too infrequently. Boo!! This is an emergency. I've decided it's time for me to buy my own roadie before I turn in to this beast wearing grandpa shoes all the while refusing to "workout" on THAT machine.

Here are a few pics taken tonight walking over to the pool. My girls aren't anxious or anything.I purchased a few new swim toys for the little ladies. Ariel ~(shouldn't be a surprise) swimming doll for Emma and Nemo~(who also swims) for Sophie.
Here is Emma loaded up with a new toy in each hand and her "froggles" on her face. How can you not just bust up at this photo? What a funny girl.

It was such a perfect night for a swim and hysterically funny trying to watch Emma catch the surprisingly speedy Ariel. She is definitely the faster swimmer of the two and can seriously bust a move with a fresh set of batteries! What should I expect, she IS a mermaid, right?

• Uncle Buck played by John Candy in Uncle Buck
• Jack Chester played by John Candy in Summer Rental
• Chet Ripley played by John Candy in Great Outdoors
• George Banks played by Steve Martin in Father of the Bride

7- He tears apart the kitchen to make the best breakfast anyone could dream of. He's been complimented on it so much that, in recent years, he decided to expand it to the community. Last year, nearly 2000 residents, the murray police force, the murray city mayor, the missionaries, and murray city fire department ate pancakes, eggs, tons of different kinds of fresh fruit, bacon, and sausage while washing it down with milk and OJ at his wacked out "labor day breakfast." He's done this now for about 5 years. It is hysterical. He made the news last year..ha ha ..so funny.

6- He loads up on "cool toys" so that the grandkids are stocked with every type of mobile object or unique toy to play with outside. The kids are never bored when they go to grandpa's house. He bought all the girl grandchildren "Bella Dancerella" cheerleader stuff. What grandpa does that?!! ha ha.

5- He is a spiritual man. He is very knowledgeable and always tries to come up with creative ways to teach. He is fascinated with pre-mortal life, post mortal life, and the last days. He understands the bible and enjoys reading. I appreciate that.

4- He can't pass up a good sale. (and I thought this only applied to girls!!) This is exceptionally true when it comes to food. When grocery stores are losing money on an item (discovered by a food ad in the paper) he makes "the rounds" to all the grocery stores, buys enough for his entire family, then delivers it to his kids houses around town. Pretty cool. Thanks to him, the love of eating "REAL" cheese and drinking milk will never leave my blood.

3- He is a giver-His nickname is BIG LEW-which fits him so well. He is "big and burly" on the outside, but a tenderheart on the inside. Giving is a big part of "who he is." Every week, he makes amazing fruit and veggie trays and hand delivers them to widows in the neighborhood, those who just had a death in the family, and others who are having a hard time in life. Its all part of his "rounds."

2- The Nicknames-He has "nicknames" or "special chants" for everyone. I could list a million, but I'll spare you and just list what he calls my girls.

For Sophie, he chants, "Sophie, Sophie where's your trophy?" while doing a jig anytime he greets her.

For Emma: "Auntie Em oh Auntie Em" (said in a high pitched taunting voice of the wicked witch of the east from Wizard of Oz.)

1-The number one reason why I love my dad is because I know he loves me and I am important to him. He adores and is super proud of his family.

Throughout my life, and even now as I am older, he will come and very loudly cheer for me and my team at indoor or outdoor soccer games. He cheers for my girls at their games, recitals, or special events. He has been in attendance at the most brutal of dance performances or competitions, track meets, and basketball or volleyball games. Not only does he do this for me and my kids, but also for my siblings and his other grandkids. He taught me how to snow and water ski, hold a rifle, shoot a better basket, and love motorcycle rides. He's always encouraged me scholastically and in his own funny way tells me I am a pretty gal. He has taught me what it means to reach out to others and give back to the community.

What more could a girl ask for, eh? Thanks dad... I love you, man!!

I am finally putting up a few pics of Sophie's 6th birthday party with her buddies from a few weeks ago. We held it at Classic Fun Center where they were able to tear the place apart on foot or on wheels. A few of the kids brought scooters and miraculously everyone shared. They also bounced on the slides and swung in the jungle. It was a super fun time with lots of little giggles. The Kindergarten classes were out of school for testing so we pretty much had this place to ourselves with everyone else studying. It made it so nice and so much easier to keep track of everyone!

Taylor, Jada, Madeline, Emma, Aiyana, Sadie, Sophie, Brookie, Cassie, Liv, Josh, and Dayton. Here is the gang hanging out by the Birthday Wheel. Sophie won a shock cell phone with her big spin.

Sophie taking her big breath to blow out her 6 candles on her Hannah Montana cake she picked out with her daddy. Way to go Trace!

Drinking soda and eating cake & pizza in the DJ room. Some serious dance moves surfaced a little later in this place!

Grabbing money in the wind tunnel to pay for her special birthday surprise... she got some serious cash!!

Grandma Sharon and Grandma Ande...the much needed extra hands with 12 wound up kiddies... Thanks ladies!!

Trace on video recorder duty and security. Sophie got some barbies, polly pockets, a necklace, books, nail salon station, earrings, scriptures with her name on it, padded hop-scotch, games, a webkinz (cow) with carrying tote, cash, clothes, and Barbie walkie-talkies. What a haul! Sophie is still writing her thank you cards (which are hysterical). I am so proud of her for doing them.

Ever since I've had my girls, I have an automatic alarm go off at 3 am. Sometimes I wake up, ensure it is 3...oh yeah it is... and then roll over and go back to sleep. Most times I get up and check the lil' ladies. Sometimes I read and a lot of times it is my quiet time for thinking. At first I used to be annoyed by this phenonmenon-Why in the junk do I still consistently wake up at this rediculous hour? Yet, as the years have passed, I have really come to appreciate it. Yes, the 3am hour is a constant. This morning, I woke at 2:45, checked the ladies, and have been thinking.

I have been reading a book on the atonement that I really like. A portion of this book addresses the Savior's parable of going after the lost sheep...yet, being lost doesn't necessarily mean you have to be doused in sin. It is applicable for anytime in your life where you might have the "feeling" of being lost.

As ironic as it is, I know that I am where I am supposed to be, doing what I am supposed to be doing, but still have this sense of being lost. After much deliberation, I decided write a post about it. I have come to the conclusion that it is a gentle reminder to simply think of the Savior more often and understand that the feeling will work itself out. I have the song "Think of Me" on the playlist as my reminder to do it.

I went on a much needed quick trip to San Diego with a great group of girlfriends over Memorial weekend. We had such a great time full of shopping, laughing, eating, hanging at the pool, reading, dancing, and more laughing.

I am totally entertained with the dancing in these music videos
-Uh Huh by B2K and With You by Chris Brown.
Yes, I like to bust out the hip hop when the kiddies aren't in the car...
When they are in the car and I have a break from the kiddie tunes, we might listen to this great song by Jack Johnson, If I had Eyes.

Despite how old this song is, I find myself singing along at the top of my lungs (even breaking out with the harmony occasionally) ever since the movie "Reality Bites" came out back in the 90's.

I have been laughing about this video for at least 9 months...It is definitely a part of my life, as I can't tell you how many times I have watched it and have randomly thrown out lines from it with my co-workers. This guy's hair and chops are 'for to be' the greatest. He must have 'self learned' himself about how to look suave to reel Lucy and Trinity in for a visit. ahhh.. what a funny clip.

Not gunna lie..I think I might be singin' this song after purchasing a pair of their super cute sandals.