A Day At Daybreak

Brandon has been traveling tons lately.  

He's been in New York, Orlando, and Palm Springs, the last three weeks, and Vegas this week, so it's nice to have him home for a couple of days.  

We spent our Sunday together as a family exploring the neighborhood where his parents live, Daybreak.  We fed ducks, looked for frogs, rolled down the grass hills until we got so cold we just had to go.  

Here are my Instagrams from the day.  

(If we aren't already Insty friends, find me @ lolo_elle)

Happy Monday everyone.  Hope your weekend was wonderful too.  

Home is Wherever I'm With You

I made this for Brandon two Valentines Day's ago.
Its super amateur and a little cheesy but there is just something about a video montage that just gets to me.  In a good way.  

I really should update this so Sienna came make some more appearances.  But oh well.  I'm too lazy.

Here it is.

The good the bad the ugly...home is still wherever I'm with these people.  

Happy Valentines Day!

My Birthday: 32 Ways We Paid It Forward

My birthday is just around the corner and I don't have anything special planned, so let's reminisce about my birthday last year.  Because it was awesome.  

I wanted to share, not to brag, but to hopefully inspire someone to have a day as fulfilling as this birthday was for me.  

I can't lie.  I've been pretty blessed in my life so I decided I wanted to spend the day paying it forward with an act of kindness for each year of my life.  It turned out to be an amazing day.  I don't know how many times I cried, but I know it was at least 3 or 4.  It was SO cool to see how even the smallest things were SO appreciated.  

So here is what we did.  

We left quarters in all the gum ball machines at the grocery store.

We collected coats, hats, and scarves from some generous neighbors 

and donated a huge bin of them to the homeless shelter. 

I made fun Christmas tree waffles for my girls.

We baked muffins for the local firefighters and gave them a card thanking 

them for all they do for our community.  They were probably the sweetest and showed the most gratitude out of anyone all day.  They said thank you so many times and wouldn't let Addie

leave without all kinds of fun little trinkets.

I got up early with Addie and Sienna and let Brandon sleep in.  

Personally I think this counts as like 5 acts of kindness because I definitely like to sleep in.

  Especially when its my birthday.  

I left Operation Beautiful notes on bathroom mirrors. 

I took a break to have lunch with my mom and sister (and the Little Angel, of course). 

 They insisted on treating me to lunch

so I left our server an extra tip.

We cleaned up tons of garbage in parking lots.  

With the help of Miss Adison, we passed out lollipops to

 siblings and visitors at the childrens hospital.  

We held doors open for people.  

We donated food to the Utah Food Bank.

We delivered a little "get well" package to a sick friend. 

Left a treat and a thank you note in our mailbox for the postal worker.  

We made and delivered gift bags for all the kids with cancer at the Primary Children's Hospital.  

We wouldn't have been able to do this one without generous donations from friends.  We gave the kids coloring books, stuffed animals, nail polish, toy cars, lip gloss, bubbles, silly puddy, etc. etc.  

We weren't allowed to go into the kids rooms but the nurses were really excited to pass them out.  

This one was one of the more spontaneous of the day but also my favorite.  EVERYONE should try this sometime.  Its SO much fun.  Seriously.

We noticed a cashier at the grocery store who seemed like she could use a little pick me up. So we grabbed a few different gift cards and went to her check stand.  I told her that I was shopping for someone I didn't know very well and asked her which gift card she would want if it was for her.  She said Macy's and went on and on about why she would choose it. After  I bought it I said "oh wait, this is for you.  Merry Christmas."  She was stunned and speechless, even though it wasn't a huge amount.    She just stared at us as her eyes started to well up.  It felt so good to make her happy.

We took donuts to our favorite story tellers at the library.  

While we were at the library my cousin Abby and I left encouraging notes in the self help books.

We got a gift certificate at Walmart for Walmart and handed it to the woman behind us in line. 

We were oh so sneaky and hid dollar bills in the dollar toy section, with notes that said "For you.  Merry Christmas."

We bought toys to donate to Toys For Tots.

We tried to pay for the car behind us in line at Del Taco but after stalling for a while no one showed up behind us.  So instead we gave the cute little lady who worked there a note and little tip.  

I bought my cousin lunch.  

This one was the most meaningful to me.  My 3rd grade teacher was one of the most caring, kind, good hearted people I've ever known.  My mom was out of state in the hospital for a few months while I was in her class and she filled a little bit of that "mother" role for me.  She was always interested in how I was doing, and she'd stay and talk to me during recess when I'm sure most teachers are dying for a break.  I've thought about her over the years so I sent her a letter telling her how much I appreciated her.  

We passed out HotHands to the Salvation Army bell ringers and donate some money while we were there.  Bless their hearts, its freakin' cold out there in the winter!

We smiled at everyone we passed, and tried to be extra friendly all day.  

We donated to this cute boy who has Leukemia.  

We returned carts for shoppers at the grocery store.  Let me remind you it was FREAKIN' FREEZING so that is one that I would totally love if someone did it for me.

We went to the Laundromat and left quarters on each of the washing machines.  Those slick moves of Brandon's were a nice little bonus. 

It was a freakin' awesome birthday!  Everyone should do this at least once.  It's a lot of work but, as cheesy as it may sound, you're the one who really benefits from it all at the end of the day.  TRUTH!

Walls Shmalls

I love this quote.  I love my family.  And I sometimes really love where I live. 

I need to run myself over to Costco and make one of those giant poster sized prints of this baby and pin it up on my wall.  

Or maybe tape it to my ceiling so I can remember this quote as I think my last thoughts of the day.  

I've spent way too much of my life feeling confined, trapped in my own body, and living someone elses beliefs.  Feeling like I need to be everything to everybody.  I don't know why its taken me so long to realize that that just isn't possible.  

I can only be myself.  And that is a beautiful thing.

Its time to start taking ownership of my life, break down those walls I've built for myself and feel FREE. 

Thankful

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  

I have so so so much to be grateful for, 

but most of all I'm grateful for these loves of mine.

The Lighting of the Riverwoods

Here's a little glimpse into our friday night through pictures.  We spend the night with Brandon's brother and dad, (We missed you Grandma Bubbles.  Hope you're feeling better.  Missed you too Aguirres.  Hope Sebastian rocked that football game!) welcoming in the Christmas season at the Shops at Riverwoods.  They had their annual "lighting of the riverwoods" where they turned on their 4 million Christmas lights all at once.  It was really fun, pretty cold, and super magical for our little ladies who got to meet "that Chrimmis guy" (as Sienna said) a.k.a. Santa. 

Carriage rides, carolers, hot cocoa, gingerbread houses, Kris Kringle, and family...twas awesome because twis the season.  ;)

How are you welcoming the holiday season?

Let Me Get Back To You

Did I ever tell you the one about my Grandma coming to visit for Thanksgiving?

No?  Well let me first tell you a little bit about my Grandma Hartley.  This is the two of us a couple years ago.  Isn't she beautiful?

She is one of the kindest, most gentle, optimistic people I've ever know.  She has a sweet little giggle that follows most of her words, and she always calls people dear or sweetheart.  I remember as a kid, after having her stay at our house for a couple weeks being absolutely shocked to learn of her shortcomings.  Do you want to know what I learned about her?  You have to promise not to tell because Grandma would be horrified.  Hold your hats for just a moment here.  My Grandma, the saint, did not drive the speed limit AND she frequently used the words "little scamps".  Oh dear!

Okay so you get the point, my grandma's an angel.

I love having angels around so obviously I was excited to have my Grandma in town for Thanksgiving when I was 16.  Not only did my Grandma come but one of my favorite families in the world, my cousins, the Steeles came into town too.

The night after Thanksgiving we were all sitting around the table, my siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles, parents, my grandma and I.  My grandma being the giver that she is started sprinkling kindness to each family member one by one, pointing out their talents and what she loved about them.

What a delight this would be.  What an uplifting way to spend an evening.  She started with Christopher.

"Christopher you're so kind and gentle.  You show so much creativity with the the sculptures you make.  You make friends easily and I love getting to know you.  I love the way you can fit right in to any situation.  Its a delight to have you for a grandson." (Alright these may not be exactly what she said but its exactly the way I'd like to remember it.  And I'm the one telling the story so, enough said.)

I sat in my chair so proud of my brother, so excited to hear what Grandma thought about me.  But I had to have patience next up was Taylor.

"Taylor" she said, "You are such an amazing artist, you have this natural ability that is such a beauty to behold.  I know there are great things in your future.  I just love sitting and talking with you.  You're a wise soul.  You also have great hair.  Its so thick and naturally curly." Etc., etc., okay we get it.  Taylor is awesome.  Gram Grams was laying it on, and laying it on thick, because thats what Grandmas do, especially angel Grandmas.

I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait.  What are the lovely things others see in me that I don't always see in myself?  Patience, Amy Jo is next.

"Amy Jo you can make anyone laugh, you are so boisterous and funny and you're an amazing actress.  I loved watching you play as a child because you've always been so dramatic and full of energy.  I also love that you can bite your toe nails.  What flexibility you have!" (Okay, she most certainly did not say that.  But Amy is flexible so she probably thought it.)  "You are a treasure to the whole Hartley family!"

Wow, Grams was on a roll.  What big and generous compliments a person can come up with when they're talking about their offspring's, offspring.  I was next.  How lucky was I to have a Grandma who could find something wonderful to say about anyone.  How lucky was I to be on the verge being lavished with words of praise.  I braced myself.  I told myself that when the time for her to shower me with my compliments to hold back the smile that surely would want to burst from my face.  Be cool Laurel, be cool.  Just give a humble smirk and a thank you after Grandma commends you.  You don't  hear these things a lot but don't look too excited.  Be cool.  

So Grandma turned to me and with a smile on her face said...

"Laurel."

Oh boy.  What treats does she have in store for me!?

"Laurel.  Hmm.  Laurel."  Now she had a puzzled look on her face.  A puzzled look?  What could that be about?  And then she giggled and giggles were not a good sign.

"Hmm."

"Well I'm sure I can think of..." and she finished the sentence with a giggly "something?".

Now giggles from everyone around the table.  Giggle heard around the globe, I'm SURE.  And my face, I know it was turning red.  All eyes were on me.

"Oh dear" she said "I'll have to get back to you."

Silence.

Wuh wuhhh of the century.

Grandma will get back to me.  She'll get back to me?  Nothing?  You've got nothing?  How about a generalized "you're smart"?  Perhaps you like my hair?  Maybe I'm a good friend.  That's always a good standby.  I've heard that one before.  You could tell the crowd that I pour a mean bowl of cereal.  Something.  Surely you can think of something!

Everyone's faces turned into shocked, "I'm sorry" faces.

Grandma finished her circle of love and got back to me to no avail.  But its cool guys, the story doesn't end there.  

The next day my cousins, siblings and I spent the day making our own home video version of "Ricki Lake".  I played a hooker of some sort but the details aren't important.  What's important is that that night I went to bed thinking, now I know I've made her proud.  Smart, classy, and straight laced.  I'm practically handing the compliment suggestions right to her.  You're welcome Grandma.  You're welcome.  And she never doubted my gifts (or my classiness) ever again.  (I just know it!)

 The proof of my awesomeness (and Taylor, Amy, and Abby's awesomeness too) is written all over this picture from that day.

*And by the way it should be noted that I still thought my Grandma was an angel.  I'm sure she was just overwhelmed by all the talent at the table that she just couldn't keep it all straight.  :)

I love you Grandma!

But don't be surprised if I curl into the fetal position when I hear the phrase "Let me get back to you."


What's your funniest, saddest, most ridiculous, or most whatever, Thanksgiving memory?  I'd love to hear about it.

Halloween Get Ups-Or Get Outs

Halloween happens to be one of my favorite holidays ever.  Right up there with, well, with all of the other holidays.  Lets face it they're all pretty great.  Any excuse to break the monotony of the day to day is a-okay in my book, add costumes into the mix and things are looking splendid.  

Addie and Sienna have been obsessed with The Wizard of Oz lately so naturally they wanted to be characters from the movie.  The girls had a throw down, shirt grabbing, over the table fight over who got to be Dorothy.  Once Addie won she admitted she truly wanted to be the Witch.  That left Brandon and I with any other choice of Wizardly characters.  The day of the party we scrambled and pulled together some pretty decent (if I do say so myself) Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion costumes.  

The highlight of the night was realizing that Brandon could barely move in his poster board Tin Man get up.  I couldn't stop laughing.  He looked like he was truly playing the "oil needing" part.  The only way we could get him to our party was by chauffeuring him "parade style" in the back of our neighbors truck.