Lights In the Sea

We joined my sister and her husband to view the Newport Lights for Christmas. Here are the kids, getting ready for the show.Auntie Cara brought yummy, freshly made candy canes for the kids. This was definitely the highlight, surpassing the boat lights.
Lights!! It was so much fun to see all of the decorations on the boats. Some of them went all out and gave us quite a show.
We had a great time, even though I thought I'd left my wallet on the park grass...thank goodness it was on the floor of the car.

She can't be 2

My baby turned 2. I can't believe it. Oh, wait, maybe I can. Does attitude come with it? Oh, ya, my baby is 2. All of a sudden this small, unopinionated, immobile child started talking, crossing her arms in tantrums, and developing a very unique and wonderful personality. She's definitely 2. Since she'll be my last, it's kind of hard to let the baby phase disappear but, to be honest, I don't think Lynnea ever really was a baby. She's had independence for as long as I can remember; not wanting anyone to help her with anything and being a "mommy" to her older siblings by yelling for them when I call their names.

To celebrate this little one's birthday, the family went to McDonalds and had some chicken nuggets. Of course, no McDonalds meal would be complete without a side of Ranch dressing. For Lynnea, the nuggets are the side and the Ranch is the main course.
Then we went and got her a birthday cake from Baskin Robbins. Ice cream cakes are my favorite and this one was really good. Chocolate chip ice cream with vanilla cake underneath.
We had a small celebration with just my parents and my Nana. Nothing big. I didn't really feel like inviting all of her friends (honestly, does she really have any at this point?) and I didn't want to shell out any money either. I'd done enough of that for Christmas. I know when she gets bigger, we'll have to "make it work."
Grammie gave her a baby doll for her birthday so she wouldn't steal her sister's. She was so excited!! Nana gave her books which she looked at for quite a while and we gave her a shopping cart for her new doll. Unfortunately, Auntie Cara and Uncle Bryan couldn't come but they did give her a fun book and shirt.
Here's a picture of Gramps and daddy putting together the shopping cart.
Nana and Mikayla.
Throwing her tantrum...for a while.
My sweet, wonderful 2 year old! Happy Birthday!!
Enjoying a little frozen yogurt.

Christmas Party (without the kids!)

The annual class Christmas party was held a few weeks ago. This party is probably the reason that no one stands up and volunteers to be the social coordinator of our fellowship class in church. It is a huge undertaking and can only be accomplished with lots of planning and lots of help. So who, you ask, volunteered to be the social coordinator? Yes, I said "volunteered." Yep, I did.

So, since I signed myself up to take charge of all things social, it was my responsibility to make sure everything ran smoothly, that there was food for everyone to eat, and a place for everyone to sit. It ended up going so well because I had so much help from wonderful friends. It was a very enjoyable evening.

It was such a whirlwind, however, that I hardly had time to take any pictures of the event. I did take a picture of the beautiful cupcake tower made by my amazing friend, Aly. Red velvet, vanilla, and chocolate were the decadent flavors and she decorated them with so much elegance. It gave the party that "wow" factor. Here it is in all its glory...Here are 3 of my friends who helped me that night with cleaning and organizing, Mina, Kristine, and Valerie. Where would I have been without them. I wish I would have taken more pictures of the other people who helped like Robin, Aly, and Lena. You girls are the best (your husbands were pretty helpful too, I must admit). Oh, and if anyone needs a phone number of a great taco guy, give me a call!

Celebration!

A few Sundays ago, Mikayla performed in the church kid's choir in "big church" and Tyler watched her practice without hardly moving! That's rare for my middle child. She did a great job and the choir sounded amazing up there.We were also invited to celebrate the birthdays of a few girl friends of our kids. I made each of the girls a tooth fairy pillow and thought I'd put them on my blog to show that I actually do use my creativity every once in a while. I made a pink one and a purple one. Now Mikayla's tooth fairy pillow isn't to her satisfaction and she wants a new one with a necklace and wings.

Lynnea enjoyed the cupcakes immensely!

Give Thanks

It's a little late, I know. Thanksgiving has come and gone and now we're all shopping and preparing for Christmas. I get it...I'm slacking on my blogging duties. I figure you still probably would love to see pictures of our Thanksgiving so here they are.

Of course, the holiday began with Dim Sum (Chinese brunch). We like to do this every Saturday with Will's parents but have only made it out about once a month since the school year began. I find myself craving the dim sum goodness so it was nice to feast on it once again for a special occasion. You'd think it was a special occasional, it being Thanksgiving and all. Apparently that thought was lost on Will's brothers who decided to hang out with their other families and not join us for the fry fest of dim sum.
Lynnea enjoyed her own little tea cup and ate her weight in siu mai (pork wontons, kind of). She is getting to be such a big girl.
Here is our spread...by the way, my lips don't touch chicken feet, especially those.
One of my favorites is the bolo gai bao which has a mixture of chicken, onion and other good stuff wrapped in a warm bread with a sugary coating. By the way, the red chili oil is my favorite. Mixed with a little soy sauce and hot mustard, it is the best dip for anything!! Siu Mai is my kid's favorite. It is shrimp and pork wrapped in a wonton wrapper. Tsa Siu Bao used to be my favorite (I liked the baked one. The one in the picture is the steamed one). Will's dad used to order it every time I'd come to dim sum and I never wanted to tell him that I didn't need to have my own plate of it each time. Finally, I latched onto another dim sum specialty, hom soy goh (it's not in the picture) so Will's dad would realize that I like variety too. I felt so special that he would remember my likes and dislikes. Will's dad isn't one to show emotion or special attention to anyone in particular and it means a lot when he tries to make me happy by doing little things like making sure I have my favorite dim sum.

Then we were off to the bakery a few doors down, our regular routine. These women love to see the kids coming and always have a fresh fruit tart to offer them. The kids eat off the fruit, lick out the custard and then leave the best part, the crust!! I finish at least one of them since it's a sin to throw the best part away.
The kids and Mama checking out the baked goods. I have to say that my mouth waters every time I come in this place.
These are my downfall. They are pretty much pillows of breaded decadence filled with a whipped cream-type filling and topped with sweet coconut. (I need a minute to compose myself again). Cara will agree that if, placed in a room with just you and them, you wouldn't be able to stop yourself from eating them all. There is no self control around these guys.
These are always a temptation for me although I've never bought one. Look how cute they look with their "basket" appearance. So cute.
Then we were off to my parent's house that Saturday for our family celebration. We had to put it off a few days so we could all be healthy enough to enjoy about 20 pounds of turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and pumpkin pie.

Here's a rare photo of my sister and me. We're usually so busy taking pictures of the kids that we forget to get an updated one of the two of us.
...and the kids all squished on the couch. What a sight.
Right before we were going to leave, the cousins piled up in the living room and smiled for the camera. Miraculously, Will got the picture at the exact right moment. You can even see Lynnea's mischievous little grin.
Lynnea and my mom. She finally "allows" my mom to hold her and actually runs to her when she sees her. It only took, oh, 2 years?
Now we're well on our way to Christmas and I'm busy with preparations for a big party, wrapping presents and trying to keep my house in some kind of order just so I can relax for a few minutes throughout the holidays. I feel like I've been on my feet for the past 3 months. Maybe after the holidays I'll get to rest?? Maybe not.

Cruisin'

It's been 10 years! I can't believe it. I've been married that long...and to my best friend. What a blessing. We had so much fun traveling to Catalina and then to Ensenada.

At first, after I boarded the boat, I was a little overwhelmed at all of the people that were boarding with us and then had to try to fight my way through the buffet on the Lido deck after which we were forced to eat on the deck under the watchful eye of 2 very hungry and very brave sea gulls. About 30 minutes after boarding, I finally started to relax and people ended up spreading around the ship so it didn't seem like all 2400 people were in the restaurant.

The next few days were so much fun. First, we ate. Then we went to Catalina, rented bikes and climbed up a sweat-inducing hill to the Wrigley Memorial, then we went back to the ship and ate again. Later that night, we ate yet again. Do you kind of get the idea of what the highlight was? Every night there were appetizers, main courses, and desserts. Each person could eat as much as they wanted and it was all included! It was amazing. I tried to make sure I didn't eat past the "feeling full" point but it was pretty impossible with Lobster, Prime Rib, Molten Chocolate Cake, and Shrimp Scampi. Wow.

Once we went to Ensenada, the real adventure began. Will and I signed up for the ATV Excursion and I don't think I realized exactly how dangerous it could be. I had never sat on an ATV before, let alone driven one so it was a little intimidating to ride over rocks, down mountains and up hills with a helmet, goggles, and a handkerchief to block all of the dirt from filling my lungs. Even with the bandana over my mouth, I still managed to eat some dirt and both Will and I looked like we'd bathed in it when we finished. I had so much fun and am glad I got to experience riding an ATV at least once.

The last day, we traveled all day at sea. The seas were a tad rough that day and I got a little seasick but it eased up by 1:00 in the afternoon. We had fun just walking around the ship, shopping in the ship's shops (a little tongue twister) and eating again...

Here's a slide show I made of our trip. I would highly recommend a cruise to anyone who wants to relax, have all of their luggage in one place but see a lot of sights, and eat to your heart's content. It was so much fun to just be the 2 of us and still enjoy each other's company.

My Heart Lies Somewhere Else

This picture brings back memories. In fact, looking at this picture brings tears to my eyes, in a good way. It is a photo from a moment in time, a long time ago. In it are my Great Aunt Leone, my Great Uncle Bill, and 2 of my cousins, William & Caitlyn, in my Papa and Nana's kitchen.

All but my cousins are gone now. Aunt Leone passed away right before I delivered Lynnea. She never met her. I didn't go to her funeral because it was too close to my due date. My Nana moved out of her house after my Papa died, relocating to a small apartment that I haven't even seen yet. And this last week, my Uncle Bill went to meet his Savior after a long battle with congestive heart failure. My heart is heavy. As the rest of my family travels north to say goodbye to this precious man, I stay home. It was a hard decision, one of the hardest I've had to make in a long time. In the end, I decided to stay home and rest after fighting the flu myself and taking care of my family the last 2 weeks as they, too, recovered from their own sicknesses. On Monday, my husband and I take our 10 year anniversary cruise and if I had gone I wouldn't have time to come home and pack everyone up for the week ahead.

I'm going to miss my Uncle Bill. It was really for him that I started this blog in the first place, to let him know the daily happenings of our family. He was housebound for the last few years of his life and spent a lot of time on the computer so I enjoyed giving him new stories of our adventures that he could read. He could feel a part of our family. The loss is so great, it's hard to describe. He and my Aunt Leone are such an important part of my history, my story. Several summers we came to visit my Nana and Papa, my Aunt Leone and Uncle Bill would whisk us away for a day with them at the Boardwalk or the Aquarium. We had so much fun on these days and would cherish every minute spent with them.

One of the last times I saw my Uncle was the last time I saw my Papa. We dropped by his house after visiting my Papa in his nursing home before Cara and I jumped on a plane and headed home. I had Lynnea with me and got this wonderful picture.Then I got this one. Lynnea is mesmerized as my Uncle Bill has a quiet conversation with her before we leave. What a precious sight and one I am so glad I captured on film.
One of my favorite memories of my Uncle Bill was hearing him sing. Each year on my birthday, he would call our house and sing me happy birthday. His voice reminded me of singers in the 40's, smooth and comforting. He would write me poems every birthday as well, especially when I was younger. Each birthday card would come with a poem written especially for me, dreamed up by my Uncle Bill. He had such creativity.

I'm going to miss you, Uncle Bill. I know you're having a party up there in Heaven waiting for all of us slowpokes to join you. I rejoice that you are no longer suffering. What a treasure God has gained this last week. So, my heart lies somewhere else this weekend, with the many family members attending your memorial and celebrating your life. Know that I wish I could be there. You are worthy of a glorious celebration! You have touched my life forever and will be greatly missed.

Hello? Hello? Anyone there??

I must apologize for the lack of blog postings as of late. We've just had so much to do that writing a blog entry is a priority that slipped to the bottom of the pile. Seeing as how I had a few minutes to spare, the kids are mildly distracted with playing outside, and my tummy is full of Swedish pancakes, I thought I'd catch you up a little with what's been goin' on.

Sickness...that's what's been goin' on. You know, I know that God has a sense of humor but he really pushes the limit at times. That sarcasm starts pushing through. (I know God's got a little bit of it in there somewhere. Otherwise, how could I relate?) I have told everyone, "I just pray that my kids don't get sick this next week and I have to go on my CRUISE with a cold or a flu." Yes, everyone, my husband and I are taking a cruise...let's focus on that for a minute. My loving, wonderful husband planned an anniversary cruise for him and me about a year ago and that very cruise is in jeopardy if there is any illness. We leave in a week!!

Enter the flu. Now I don't think my kids have contracted the worst of it but, as of this last week, I've had an older daughter with a fever upward of 103.5, a son whose snot I characterize as "snot rockets" because they literally launch out of the nose and hang there like wayward missiles, and a baby who decided to contract it late in the game and has such a wet face that when she colored it with marker the other day, it just slid off of her face. I keep telling myself, "resist the germs!! Resist!"

*sigh* I need this vacation. I need to sit on the cruise ship and sit...read...relax. I also think, by the end of this week, that I need to invest in hand sanitizer because I've singlehandedly used 3 family's worth all on my own.

On that note, I'll post a few pictures of my kids, pre-illness.

Mikayla with her best friend, Julia demonstrating school pride on crazy hair day.Halloween at our church. They had a puppy petting pen and Tyler thought it was the best thing ever!
Lynnea as a dinosaur (thanks Auntie Cara for the costume!)
Our family went to our class Costume party as knights protecting a princess (Mikayla) from a dragon (Lynnea). Unfortunately, Tyler refused to participate and went instead as Tyler. I made Will and my costumes to match his but it looked like we were the only knights in the family.
Lynnea attempting to be a big girl like her sister and play on the computer. She can't do much except touch the mouse and move it around.
Tyler and one of his favorite gifts from Grammie and Gramps - a bubble gun. It even lights up. Mommy had fun with it too.
And, to end the blog, a picture of Lynnea and her crazy hair. I really don't know what happened before this picture was taken but it looks like she was caught in a wind tunnel. This was before I trimmed her bangs too so that adds to the bushyness. On her, it looks stylish; on me...well, we don't want a picture of that.

Tyler's Birthday!

I can't believe it, my boy is 4 years old already. I remember back to the day I had him and the first few moments of his life that almost took him from us and I thank God for my little miracle. What a joy he is to us. His generous spirit, his infectious laugh, and his need for affection are the things I love most about Tyler. He is my gentle soul (albeit a little stubborn).

In the beginning of the week, Grammie and Gramps brought over their presents which were a huge hit. He got a ball you could ride on (which was his favorite) , a soccer ball, and a few shirts. He also got a T-ball set so now we can teach him how to play some sort of sports instead of how to dress a Barbie. He is definitely all boy but he has been influenced by his big sister to play a pretty mean game of "princess."This was one of his favorite toys, too. It's a little snake thing that acts "real" by pulling the almost invisible string attached to its nose. This little guy had no idea what he was in for when he became Tyler's pet. He was dragged down the hallway and roughed up so much I had to superglue his eyes back on and he's only belonged to Tyler for a few days! Earlier in the week, we celebrated cousin Ethan's birthday who is almost exactly one year older than Tyler. Tyler loves his cousin so much and looks up to him quite a bit. Here they are playing on the slide at the park by Ethan's house.

Then came the morning of Tyler's birthday. He got a few gifts from mommy and daddy that he opened before Mikayla went off to school for the day.
Later in the morning, we had his little party. I told him that he could invite 4 people so he chose who he wanted to spend his birthday with. I asked my friend, Aly, to make his cake and she did such a beautiful job that I didn't want to cut it. She based the cake around 2 of Tyler's favorite cars, his "dirt track McQueen" and "The King." Look how adorable it is...
Thanks, Aly, it was a huge hit!! Here are all of the kids on the "picnic blanket" in the living room since it was raining outside. I was disappointed that they couldn't bounce in the bounce house but I promised Tyler that we could do it another day.
Blowing out the 4 candles on his birthday cake.
After Tyler's party, Will took him to Disneyland since he got in for free and they spent the whole afternoon riding on rides and taking in the shows. That night, we went to Mikayla's school fundraiser at Red Robin. Tyler got his very own ice cream sundae which he gave to Mikayla after he only ate one bite. Mikayla spent the whole time looking for friends (that's another whole blog entry) and all in all, we had a good time finishing up a great day.
Happy Birthday to my precious Tyler...

You're FOUR!!