BIRTHDAY FUN!

Eli's birthday day was great!

It started off with us going to the movies with my mom in the morning. We saw The Karate Kid (awesome movie, by the way), and then afterward we went to lunch! Thanks for the movie & lunch, mom!

There's Eli, next to my mom!

Later on in the evening, he got to pick where he wanted to go for dinner. I'm glad he chose Red Robin because I LOVE burgers! Here's everyone, including my sis in-law on the right! Thank you for dinner, Lisa!

Loved the burger I got! So good!

And here he is with his "upgraded" Dsi. This is the one with the even larger screen! My sister in-law told him that if saved $70, she would pay the difference to upgrade his Dsi! And, that's what he did!

He didn't want a traditional birthday cake, but he asked me to make a brownie ice cream "cake." I made two sheets of brownies like this.

Added a good layer of mint chocolate chip ice cream...


Put it back in the freezer, and when it was time for the cake, I added the whip cream! It was so good! I don't need to spend $40 on an ice cream cake anymore! I can make my own for $5!

So, I'm glad he was happy!! BUT, he still has to have a party with my youngest son in a couple of weeks!

ONE TIMES A CHARM!

I don't know why we underestimated Veronica's coordination?

She had her training wheels on UNTIL NOW!

Yes, I know, she's already 6 1/2, but she is "my baby."

Well, this past weekend, she wanted those training wheels OFF!

My husband took them off, and literally, sent her on her way.

Well, not too far away, he was running along side her.

And now, she's a little more independent.

But, she's still a baby to me!

HE'S IN THE DOUBLE DIGITS!

Today is my son, Eli's, 10th birthday!!!

We have a fun morning planned with my mom, and in the evening, my sister in-law wants to take him to dinner. He has LITERALLY been counting down the days to his birthday, and instead of a traditional birthday cake, he wants me to make two sheets of brownies with mint chocolate chip ice cream in the middle. We'll see how that goes!

So, since he is turning 10 today, I will list ten things that I love about him (in no specific order).

1. He's caring
2. He's creative
3. He's polite
4. He's smart
5. He's funny
6. He's compassionate
7. He's charming
8. He's sensitive
9. He's a leader
10. He loves Jesus
    

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELI!!! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

And I finally convinced him to combine his birthday party with my youngest son (who's birthday is in July)!

SCRIPTURE SUNDAY

On Sundays, I decided I would share a scripture(s). I pray that it will be a blessing to whoever reads it.

"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do."-Colossians 3:10-13

WHO'S YO' DADDY?

Can you believe they are from the same litter?

That's my baby Junior on the right!

And they have the SAME mommy & daddy!

FRIDAY PHOTO FLASHBACK

I started "Friday Photo Flashback" because I have so many pictures from my PRE-digital camera days. I thought it would be fun to scan them and share them here with you. I'm having so much fun doing this, that I would love for you to join me, too! So dig out the photo albums and put your scanner to good use! Don't forget to sign in to MckLinky so we can all visit and comment on each others blogs!

1969/1970

I always loved this picture.

My mom's hairstyle and outfit is totally the 60's!

That's her, carrying me!

I'm going to assume it was my sisters birthday, so I had to be around 5 months old!

And it looks like my dad is trying to prevent my sister from putting her arm right into the cake!

WORK IT!

For the last couple of weeks, our friend Brad started a workout every Monday evening with some of the older boys from church. My husband went with my son's last week, and I wanted to go too, but I thought it was all guys. Well, turns out that Brad's wife walks the track while they do their thing.

Perfect! I could walk with her!

In fact, we walked 2.5 miles!

So, we all went this past Monday, and I totally knew this was going to be a blog post in the making!

So, after the guys (and Miranda) warmed up, what they did was sprint to the 10 yard line and back, do 20 push ups, and then continue again, but to the 20, then 30, etc.!

Here are some of the boys! There are my two little ones sitting down.


I had to post this because my husband was like, "Don't take a picture." LOL


After all those sprints, they do football drills.

Here's my friends niece and Veronica walking backwards. If Veronica looks tired, it's because she was complaining about being bored, thirsty, and hungry..lol.

Of course, the highlight for the kids is when they saw these tires on the grass area! You can imagine all the fun they had with these things!

You can see for yourself!







Nobody had the guts to get in the inside of it and roll down the hill!!


Scaredy cats! Heehee

WORDFUL WEDNESDAY

Such a little ham!



Be sure to visit 7 Clown Circus for Wordful Wednesday

I HEART FACES-CELEBRATING TEENS

This weeks theme: "Celebrating Teens."

I thought this picture was perfect since these two young gals (my daughter on the left) just turned into teens this year!

To view more entries, click the button above.

FUN IN THE SATURDAY SUN!

It was beautiful this weekend! The sun was warm, but there was a nice, cool breeze going on!

My friends planned a bbq at a park right in their condo complex, and it was such a fun time!

We were right by their pool, plus we had the entire grass area to ourselves! It was the perfect set up because we all played volleyball, the kids went swimming, and also rode their bikes around.

Oh my gosh, I have not played volleyball in YEARS, so I was dead beat tired by the time we got home (which was close to 9pm)!! In fact, we were so tired that none of us got up in time for church, so we had a nice, relaxing, Father's Day at home.

Can you just tell that the weather was gorgeous?


"V" for Veronica!


The kids swimming! There's my girl right in the middle! She swims so good now!

My two older kids on the right, and their buddies on the left! All the kids in the background are my kids and my friends kids, too!

Here are the younger ones getting ready to go back to the bbq to eat.

This was closer to the evening. The sun had already set. We just got done playing volleyball for an hour, and now it was the kids turn to play.

It was so funny because I thought one of my Cutco knives were thrown away by accident, and I was willing to let it go, but my friends said, "No, we need to find it!" So, here we are going through the TWO BIG black garbage bags that we used until my husband told me that he didn't even use it. It was still in his van!!!!!!! UGH!!

SCRIPTURE SUNDAY-HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

On Sundays, I decided I would share a scripture(s). I pray that it will be a blessing to whoever reads it.

"Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from Him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them."-Psalm 127:3-5a

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful dads out there, and for the ones who are deeply missed!!!

NEW DISCOVERY!

Do you remember my post about me and my kids walking at the Sports Center track?

Well, forget that place! I found some place better to walk at!

Actually, I didn't find it, one of my friends asked me if I wanted to walk at the lake BY MY HOUSE!

I was like, "What lake???"

Well, it turns out this place is called "Hidden Lake Park" and it's only minutes from me! It's even closer than the Sports Center. It is literally hidden in between these condos, and I don't know how many times I've driven past it!

The kids and I have gone a couple of times already, but I plan on walking here everyday! Just 2 1/2 times around is 1 mile and it doesn't even seem like it!

It's huge!


The whole time I was saying, "Be careful!!"


View from the other side


This dock scared me! Not because of the birds though.


But because I could just picture one of them falling in!


See what I mean?


And here one more view!!

FRIDAY PHOTO FLASHBACK

I started "Friday Photo Flashback" because I have so many pictures from my PRE-digital camera days. I thought it would be fun to scan them and share them here with you. I'm having so much fun doing this, that I would love for you to join me, too! So dig out the photo albums and put your scanner to good use! Don't forget to sign in to MckLinky so we can all visit and comment on each others blogs!

1971

This was my mom, me (in the middle), and my sister (on my left) when we lived on the Naval Base in Moffett Field. For the life of me, I can't remember who the girl is on my right. I think my mom used to babysit her. I also love this shot because it had my dad's Charger right behind us. That car was FAST! I remember that people would ALWAYS want to race him, and he did!! I can't even imagine my husband racing on the freeway with our kids in the back! When my parents got divorced, and my mom would drive that car, she always had guys asking her if she would sell it to them. Eventually, she did sell the car, and I think she sold it for alot less than what it was worth.

THE END IS NEAR!!

I'm participating in a year long challenge, created by Carin at Forever In Blue Jeans. The goal is to be in one picture a week, for 52 weeks. Since us moms are always behind the camera, this gives us a chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family. So, click here if you want to join in on the fun!

48/52

I've made the commitment to see this through, and that's what I'm doing! Even if I have to post funky pictures like this, I will get to #52!!!

This was last week when we were out to dinner with my mom, sister, and her family.

Excuse the poor lighting, the people in the background, my oily face, my husbands greasy fingers, Veronica's goofy face, and every other distraction in the shot!

WORDFUL WEDNESDAY-VERONICA GOT BAPTIZED!

I'm so proud of Veronica. She made the decision that she wanted to be baptized on Sunday night. They made an announcement about it on Sunday morning, and they also talk alot about it in her Sunday school class.

Well, she totally understands what baptism is, and she told my husband that she wanted to do it.

She looked nervous, but I knew she would keep her composure.

I was on the side taking pictures, so I couldn't see from the front.

It was so cute though because after she got baptized I hear people screaming and clapping. My kids friends were all in the sanctuary and they all stood up and were clapping and yelling, "Nani!!"

Isn't that awesome? I love my kids friends!

Here's our Pastor talking to her first, and just ensuring that she knows exactly why she is doing this.

There she goees!!!


She was so happy she got baptized!!!


"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."-3 John 1:4

Be sure to visit 7 Clown Circus for Wordful Wednesday

CHILDHOOD FRIENDS...

I think that childhood friendships are priceless.

I am blessed to still be in touch with friends I've had since Middle school.

The friendships that are priceless are the ones where you can just pick up where you left off. No awkwardness, "work", or trying to think of something to talk about.

You've been there with them, through all the thick and all the thin.

It's being able to share your struggles without fear of judgment, having uncontrollable laughs, inside jokes, and truly enjoying each others company.

It's about knowing they hold a special place in our hearts.

And, it doesn't feel like 23 years have gone by without seeing each other.

For the last couple of months, two of my friends and I have been trying to find a date where we could all meet up for lunch. One of my friends I have seen in the last year, however, we have not seen our other friend for at least 23 years!

We all met when were 13 years old (27 years ago), and when we saw each other the other day, it was like time has not passed!

We decided to meet at this cute little town, called Tiburon. It's just outside of San Francisco. It was beautiful, and the weather could not have been more perfect!

Here are my friends, Ethel & Eilleen!! We have not seen Eilleen in 23 years! We ate here, at Sam's Cafe.

This is the view from where I was eating! Gorgeous, isn't it?


Love all the boats!


This is the outside dining area. This was to my right.


Ahi Tuna appetizer


LOVED THIS PLACE! They had all these cute little shops and high end stores.

After our 3 hour lunch, we drove a few minutes to another town called Sausalito. This place was just as cute!

These homes are overlooking the bay.




We were sitting here eating ice cream.

We were here for a short while, and we went home from here. I can't wait to get together with these girls again. This time, we won't wait so many years!