Was that an earthquake? No, my stomach just growled.

So this past Wednesday the east coast experienced an earthquake. Yes, it was crazy weird. Yes, we all felt it. But was it a big deal? No, not really. I'm sure people in California want to smack the crap out of all of us for going on and on and on about it.

 A 5.9??? We sleep through 5.9's. And why, pray tell, are the rest of you states freaking out? We've burped bigger disturbances than what you just experienced.

Ha! But seriously, it was cool though. I am actually mad at myself for not being more aware of my surroundings that day. Let me tell you my earthquake experience:

Dylan was taking a nap. So Hunter and I decided to take all our art stuff outside on the back deck and color, paint, etc. It was so beautiful out. The sun was shining, the sky was deep blue, there was a lovely warm breeze... We had been coloring for about an hour and I looked at the paints and thought- I should try and make a tie-dye painting.

**Sidenote- I have a slight obsession with tie-dye. I just have always loved it. It's totally rad, like, for sure.**

So I'm all excited about this painting and it's actually turning out REALLY AWESOME. So Hunter is assisting when all of a sudden we hear this strange rumbling noise (very muted, muffled). It did vibrate the house. Hunter stops and says- "Mom, is our house haunted??". To which I reply- "Of course not Hunter, DON'T BE RIDICULOUS!!"

**Sidenote- Ghosts really scare me.**

Then I told him it was just construction or heavy equipment of some sort. As soon I said that though I thought- You know, I honestly don't know what that noise was...

Within 5 minutes my phone started ringing off the hook. First, my brother Stevie- who filled me in on the entire situation. My Dad lives in Virginia so we were wondering if he was alright. Then Landon called. Then my cousin Sarah. In between all this I was trying to get ahold of my Dad but couldn't- all circuits were down. Then my mom. Then Landon again. Then my Dad finally got through. I texted my Aunt Susan. Then Landon one last time.

And then facebook.... oh sweet, ridiculous facebook. That place BLEW UP with earthquake posts.

And all of these people: Steve, Dad, Landon, Mom, Aunt Susan, Facebook- had awesome earthquake stories. Everyone's talking about walls swaying, computer monitors sliding across desks, things falling off shelves, being in meetings and cubicles almost tipping, people mistaking the swaying for themselves getting sick, sitting on the toilet when it happened and being oh so confused. Yes! These are all true tales!!

And me?? I was covered in paint, screaming about ghosts and constructions crews, trying to discern a rumble that was the equivalent of a hunger pang. Yeah. So that's my earthquake story. Nothing exciting what.so.ever.

I bet I would have noticed it if I would have been inside, sitting on the couch, with my laptop, 'liking' stuff on facebook.... Lesson learned.

And one last sidenote- Here are our two earthquake paintings! Hunter's is on the left. Mine on the right.

You should see mine all framed- it looks too cool. I told Landon I want to sell them to which he laughed. I can only assume he LOVES the idea! haha, perhaps not...

Shark Week

As I was watching t.v. 2 weeks ago I saw a commercial for the infamous 'Shark Week' on the Discovery Channel. Shark Week is pretty awesome- scary- but awesome. I was a bit disturbed however to find out that 'Shark Week' fell on the exact week of our vacation... at the beach... where I would be swimming in the ocean. I told Landon before we left...

Me: You know it's shark week...
Landon: So??
Me: We're totally going to see sharks at the beach this year...
Landon: So??

Well fine then. And sure enough... we saw sharks. Dylan, my 3 year old, LOVES to swim in the ocean. Hunter is more cautious but enjoys being out there as long as someone is holding his hand. I had taken Dylan out fairly far and we were enjoying floating over the waves. A HUGE wave came in and I hoisted Dyl up as far above my head as I could while the wave crashed over my head. I took that as a sign: time to go in. So we went up on the beach and sat under the tent for a while. It wasn't too long when I saw some people running. I saw Landon get up and walk very quickly toward the ocean. I thought someone got hurt actually... but none of the lifeguards seemed to be doing anything so I was confused. Landon walked a bit faster and a instinct told me to get up and grab the video camera. I ran toward him and hit record and sure enough- Sharks had flooded the area we just got out of. They appeared to be "playing". The entire section of ocean had cleared out of course and by then the lifeguards were making everyone get out of the water. There was a whole family of sharks swimming right up to the shore. And, in true doofus fashion, I was so immersed in the situation that I was videotaping about 2 feet too far to the right and only caught the fins of the sharks for a second. The whole clip is just of the waves. Nice Laur, real nice.

Here is the clip... fins on the left hand side, at the 3 second mark.

The lifeguard talked to us and told us that the sharks were confused by the tide change and that they COULDN'T swim back out. Yeah. Okay. All I kept picturing was this:

They also said they were "scared" of us and that we shouldn't worry. Whatever you say lifeguard who I've never actually seen touch the water. I'll just send my kids out there for a swim now. Maybe Hunter can help them with their math skills and send them on their way back out to the briny deep.

In the end it was pretty cool. We got to see sharks firsthand and after an hour everyone was back to swimming. We didn't see them again either- thank God. Landon actually caught a baby shark in his cast net at the end of the week. Pretty sweet...

Shark week indeed.

A vacation story: how ridiculously stupid other parents are.

I have a few blogs I hope to post about our trip last week to the beach. I took some great pictures and I am hoping to make a vacation movie of sorts- but all in due time. Life is back to its original busy state- even one day after vacation ended.

The story I want to tell you is a short one... and as you can see by the title- it's all about stupid parents. I am truly convinced that you should have to apply to become a parent. The application process should be so difficult and exhausting that only people who really want and love children would go through with it. I am a people-watcher so I enjoy watching others interact. Unfortunately there is no filter on this "hobby" so I have to take in all the crap as well the interesting stuff... Enter my story...

I think that every kid loves tickets: winning them at an arcade or a carnival or having to give one to someone at a fair to go on a ride. I found a great site online that makes up printable tickets- movie tickets, carnival tickets, prize tickets, and I printed them out and set up little games around the living room and each one the kids win they get a certain amount of tickets. They trade them in for snacks or toys I've put away for a while. It's alot of fun. Hunter will even set up the games for me and let me win tickets. OHH YEAH!!! GAME ON!!! As I whip the ball at a stack of cups....

SO, Landon had taken the children to Alligator Adventure for a little boys afternoon out. I met them at the park and waited outside the gift shop for them. As I waited I watched a whole parade of parents, dragging their children into the park, 92% of them chain smoking and yelling at the kids to watch out for the turtles. (Umm, first of all, why in the name of all that is fresh air would you smoke in your kids face? And second of all, turtles? TURTLES??? You are entering a place called Alligator Adventure and you're worried about your kids walking around turtles?? I think you need to visit a different place, maybe someplace without animals, like McDonalds, or Mattress Discounters.) So, this disturbing parent/child parade clears and out comes a Grandma and her 2 grandchildren. I thought to myself- "How nice! She took her grandkids out in this heat to see the animals. Good for her!" So her little granddaughter runs ahead of her, laughing and skipping- she was adorable- and she runs to the end of the bridge and blocks the way. When her Grandma and brother made it to the end of the bridge she holds out her hand and says: Two Ticket Please!!!! The Grandma smiles and says- Okay sweetie! Reaches into her pocket and.....





Wait for it......







.................






Pulls out a pack of cigarettes and puts them in the little girls hand. Here you go kiddo! 2 tickets!



I.am.not.joking.



My mouth dropped open so fast I looked like one of those fake singing fish. The little girl handed her Grandma the cigarettes back and they got in their car and went home. Wow. Just wow.

I guess when you don't have any real tickets, cigarettes are the next best thing. I'll have to remember that next time we set up a carnival in the living room.... Sorry kids! No tickets this time... but if you knock down all the bowling pins I'll give you each 5 cigarettes!!! HOORAY! I'm only kidding of course.

*Fun fact: Hunter thinks 'cigarettes' are actually called 'ciggaroos'. I don't correct him. It's too funny.*

So yeah, I got to witness some real gem stories this past week. You gotta love vacation!! It's good to be back though... till next time...


Seashells and cigaroos,

Lauren