Our Favorite Celebrity!

Last week our favorite local celebrity Lauri Carrigan came to visit! Bailey and Cameron have been so excited for her to come because they love her music and have placed her in the same category as Zac Efron so she is pretty hot (frankly I believe she needs to be in a category ABOVE the aforementioned but when did the girls ever listen to me?).

Lauri & I went to get Bailey & Cameron for lunch at school (in Jim's hot car of course...an audi convertible...she had to look the part of a celebrity you know) and headed to "Winger's" (I know, not very celebrityish but it was close). Bailey was so cute. She was nervous. But then after hearing Lauri and I laugh our heads off as we told of our current lives and recalled VERY fun memories of our wild college days (ha ha), she realized that Lauri is just as crazy as her mom!

I love laughing with Lauri and I love it that my girls look up to Lauri as a celebrity. There is no one better that I could ask for as a role model. She is an amazing mom, wife, friend and woman with many many talents. I also love that she is one of those great friends that no matter how much time has passed, when we get together, it seems like we were never apart -- a solid bond. She is the best! We love you Lauri. And we love the main reason you are a celebrity -- your great music! Lauri has 2 albums out and is coming out with her third -- a Christmas album. They are all really beautiful and we all love listening to them. Check out her website here.

What will YOU look like in the future?

Bailey had to do this assignment for her 5th grade class where she put a photo of herself on a poster next to a picture of what she might look like in 2020. The picture of her was easy. But the future Bailey...well we checked out some age progression sites and of course they want hundreds of dollars for this service. But then I had an idea that she could use one of my sisters as her future model. We were amazed when we found these 2 photos and the similarity of them both...Check it out...


My girls and I hope that they really WILL look like Annette & Katie when they grow up. Beauties indeed.

Book Signing with Pam Munoz Ryan

Monday I called Annette (my sister) to see what she did today and she mentioned having met with an author at Holden's school, Pam Munoz Ryan, author of "Esperanza Rising," "Becoming Naomi Leon," and her new book, "Paint the Wind," and other children's books. I almost dropped the phone because Pam Ryan is one of Bailey's FAVORITE authors and last year Bailey read ALL of her books and gushed on and on about how she LOVED Ryan as an author and if I ever knew of any more books by her that I should let Bailey know. Well after I cursed out Annette for not telling me sooner so Bailey and I could attend the program, Annette informed me that Ryan would be at a book store in Salt Lake and would Bailey and I like to attend the signing with her. Well OF COURSE we would!

So I picked Bailey up at swimming and we headed out on what turned out to be a Mommy-daughter date. Luckily we got to the store about 15 minutes before the actually signing started and there were only a handful of people. Bailey was able to talk with Pam, asked her some very intelligent questions (like, "Where did you get your inspiration for 'Esperanza Rising?'"), and even get a picture.

Her smile says it all.

Then Annette, Bailey and I did some poses out in front of the cute bookstore called "The King's English" (one of those GREAT small bookstores that are becoming few and far between thanks to the likes of "Barnes & Noble" ala "You've Got Mail" --- Can't we all just get along and co-exist?). We then went to a quaint little Italian restaurant next door and headed home. Such a fun little girly outing with my wonderful growing up way too fast daughter!

So so sorry Laurel...

Well as you know I am heavily involved in our elementary school's PTA (to say the least -- ha ha), and this year (& last) all of our school t-shirts were arranged and very economically done by the husband of my very good friend Laurel (or at least before this blog she was my very good friend). His name is Thomas (the husband of my very good friend that is). And we love Thomas. He is so very special. So special indeed that he has given himself his very own holiday and one in which he wishes for me to share with you on this very blog. Now if Thomas had not been so good to me and my school, I promise you this would not be happening...but Thomas as I said, your wish is my command...

From Thomas:

THOMAS DAY 2007 -- September 20, 2007 (Odd years only of course) :

Friends of Thomas (and all you Thomas's),

(Megan, please put this on your blog... I don't think Laurel is going
to be too excited about putting it on hers).

The date is almost here!  On Thursday, Sept. 20th the third
biannual Thomas Day Celebration will commence.  If you are a Thomas
(first,middle or last name (including maiden names) please join in the
celebration of your Thomasness.  Our celebration this year will take a
moreinformal tone with an open house sponsored and hosted by the originator
of Thomas Day.  Please feel free to drop by Thomas's residence at 10462
E. Laguna Azul Ave., Mesa AZ  between 6:30 and 8 PM  for revelry,
conversation, snacks or to simply expand your network of Thomases.

 Celebration of Thomas Day always creates a bit of confusion and
misunderstanding among those who are not familiar with the holiday.
To address this, I've composed a brief summary that addresses the
history, purpose and motivation of this day set aside for Thomas's
throughout the world to come together in a show of unity, commitment and
celebration.  The modern celebration of Thomas Day began in 2001 but the
informal jubilation of Thomas's most certainly extends as far back as
written history.  In fact one of the stated missions of the Thomas Day
Committee is to try and trace our name back to the very first Thomas.
Thomas Day is a celebration of the common link between all Thomas's,
a shared identification as Thomas and our responsibilities to
positively impact the rest of the human race.  To be sure, a
self-recognitionthat to be Thomas is to carry a distinguished name with
significant social responsibilities, is not limited to just one day
every two years;  to be Thomas is to represent the best that is in
us 365 days of the year.

From the charter established in the first Thomas Day Celebration,
"The Thomas Day committee encourages free and frequent socialization
among Thomas's of all nationalities, disciplines, ages, genders and
families.  Let us be an example to the world of the amiable associations
and brotherhood that should exist among all mankind.  Our common unity as
Thomas should never exclude others of different names, rather we would
treat every Jane, Dick and Harry as if they were our own brother or
sister.”  As you can see "Thomas Day" is not an exclusionary
celebration but a time for Thomas's to come together and recommit to being
the best member of the human family we can be.  We do not diminish but
rather we salute our non-Thomas's for their great accomplishments.
We admire and seek to become more like all you Williams, Kates, Jeffs
and Angelas.

Again, quoting from the inaugural Thomas Day publication (which is
available in a reprint for a nominal price), "To be Thomas is surely
different to each of us and it would be impossible to capture the
essence of "Thomas" in a single volume, much less one paragraph.  To
describe what it is to be Thomas is, therefore, an impossible task.
Thomas's not only have tremendous variety and difference but within that
distinctiveness is depth and sophistication.  Thomas is made of every
human emotion, endless hopes and dreams, infinite experience and
unfathomable promise and potential.  In fact, it may be said that the
Thomas experience IS the human experience."

With this brief introduction I ask you to forward this announcement to
all your family and friends such that every Thomas out there will learn
of this special day and feel welcome at our celebration.  You will be
amazed to discover how many Thomas's you know and have influenced
your lives.  For those Thomas's who plan to attend, please RSVP
(thomaswicke@hotmail.com) so we may plan sufficiently and accommodate
the vast numbers wishing to attend .

Thank you,
Thomas


Thomas Wicke, Chair
Griffin Thomas Wicke, Chair in Training
Thomas Day Committee 2007

Okay...if you actually made it through that whole thing then you know that "our Thomas" has a brilliant (if not totally disturbed) mind. This is why we love him so. So to you Thomas and all other Thomas's out there -- HAPPY THOMAS DAY!

Thomas with his 2 beautiful kids...Griffin Thomas & Logan
(I know, I know...he looks perfectly normal)...

Brown Sugar & Perms

Well since 7 year old Cameron has decided to do her own hair and pretty much just wants it down, we decided that a fun option would be a perm. A perm??? I know. Major 80s flashback. But check it out...pretty cute I'd say. And easy as pie (the kind you buy from Costco)! She loves it and come on...with those lips (ala Aunt Katie), Cameron can get away with anything. The fun of girls -- changing the hair!

And then there's the boy...Started out all innocent...just wanted to make a little after school snack for the kids and a "thank you" for a neighbor so I decided to make cookies. Little buddy Jackson decided to help... A LOT! Here he is dumping the brown sugar all over the kitchen floor and helping himself to handfuls of the sweet stuff. But who could get mad at that cheesy smile??? He is in heaven! I have been making cookies since I was 12 and never (not with any of the other 3 girls or any other helper I have ever had) have I had such as helper as he!

Thank Heavens for Little Boys!

And of course it's all worth it for yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Happy Birthday Dad!

Happy Birthday Dad from one of your little girls!

We are all Dad's little girls and adore him as all little girls do their dads. I am sooooo grateful for him and the wonderful example he is and has always been to me. He has ALWAYS been there for me for anything and everything - really willing to drop anything to take care of his kids. I am very blessed. Thanks dad for your brilliance, beauty and zest for life. I love you!