Maren's First Ice Skating Experience

Maren's Daisy Troop recently went ice skating and she absolutely loved it. Here is a picture my friend Lori was kind enough to take of us.

My Day Today

• Wake up, wash face and put on facial moisturizer.
• Put on workout clothing.
• Wake the 4 kids up and head downstairs to get breakfast ready.
• Check kids backpacks, homework and snacks.
• Drop 3 of the kids off at school along with the carpool friend.
• Head to kick boxing for an hour.
• Take Dean on his playdate for an hour.
• Pick up the Maren & Wells and carpool friend from kindergarten.
• Prepare lunch for Maren, Wells & Dean.
• Shower while they are eating lunch.
• Head to airport to pick up friend. (playdate at Sidney's friends house to allow this to happen)
• Drop friend off.
• Pick up Maren's friend so she can join us at the Moraga Library story and craft hour with one of the neighborhood families.
• Pick up Sidney and drop off Maren's friend.
• Head home and prepare dinner.
• Nice surprise visit from old friend who joins me in walking to pick up Maren from neighbors house.
• Meanwhile, quilting friend shows up and we head out to pick out fabrics for quilting project due on Thursday.
• Check homework, read stories and get the kids to bed.
• Now, it's time to cut, press and sew my fabric together and here I sit writing this post.

Barry Manilow

While in Las Vegas, we (Anne, Cristen, myself and Liz) had a ladies night out to celebrate Jon's sister Liz's birthday. We had a blast being entertained by none other than. . . . .

Barry Manilow.

I looked around the audience and noticed that probably half of his audience was balding. The audience had been sitting down and when he came into the room everybody stood up and cheered and hollered. He began to sing a song or two and as he was singing some of the audience members began to sit, but not all. There was a very large and intimidating man a few rows behind us who began to yell at all of us to sit down. Almost all of the people began to sit down and I couldn't believe he felt comfortable trying to suppress the Barry Manilow fans. They just wanted to see their BARRY. I had not been a fan before but he was great. He told us he had just gone through hip surgery during Thanksgiving and he did such a good job.

I had to post this picture because at the end of the show an amazingly large amount of confetti fell down all around us. I looked down in front of me and saw this woman covered in confetti. She was just sitting there. One of us offered to help her get some of the confetti off and she said Don't! Talk about appreciating the moment.

Circus Circus Baby!

The kids had a great time at the Adventure Dome(http://www.adventuredome.com/rides_and_attractions.aspx) at Circus Circus. Sidney and Paige went on a few of the big rides, notice Sid's face on the Slingshot. Maren, Wells & Coleton enjoyed the Frog Hopper numerous times before the lines began. Poor Dean had to sit out on many of the rides because he is still too little. The saddest for him was the helicopter ride. My how he yearned to be on that ride with them.

Las Vegas Phantom of the Opera

Sidney & Paige celebrated their 9th birthdays this year by attending Phantom of the Opera together with their Moms. It was a great showing. I was more able to understand the story line than when I watched the San Francisco version. Liz said it was better than the New York version she had seen too. Las Vegas is the place to watch it for all you who are interested in watching the best version.