Naomi turns "3"!

Naomi turned "3" on friday! She is very serious about her new "age"...and will correct you if you tease her and say she is "2"! She immediately puts up 3 fingers and says she is "3"! We had pizza for lunch and opened her present...a pink scooter! We really celebrated her birthday on saturday with the big double birthday party! There was a huge water slide (to cool us in the 100 degree heat!)...lots of family and friends...a princess cake for Naomi...and a Backyardigans cake for Daniel! It was a great day filled with laughter and squeals!

Daniel's Birthday...

Wednesday was Daniel's 5th birthday!  We had a fun day filled with lots of activities...he requested lunch at McDonald's (not for the food...but, for the playland!)

Then we opened his present...a 7 ft. blow up rocket that launches 100 ft. in the air!  Of course we had to try it out at the park that evening after dinner..(once the temp outside dropped to 90!)  Then it was off to Baskin Robbins for a little cool down with ice cream!

To add to the fun we had Naomi open one of her presents too...so she is all dressed up in her new high heels and jewelry!  It was a fun day!  And, we get to do it all over again on friday for Naomi's 3rd Birthday...and a combo celebration pool party at 

Papa's house on saturday!  It may be too much fun for me...I'm not as young as I used to be!  But, Ill try to keep up with the lil ones!!!

It's all about Steph...

Happy 14th
Birthday Steph...

It was quite a surpirse for Steph to return home to find her friends and family waiting to "Surprise" her for her birthday!
We had a pinata...did the congo line dance and the chicken dance all over the backyard with lots of "flare"! We had pizza and a huge chocolate cake with ice cream (Steph's favorite)! Everyone had a great time!!!

Continuation of the post below...I had more pictures to post and it locked up...so, I'll see how this works! I also wanted to add that the kids spent many hours with their magnifying glasses looking for bugs (in the house...
"Clark we need you!") and outside...we enjoyed our walks through the neighborhood looking at the world through the magnifying glass...

Spring is in the air...

Well, there's a lot to catch up on...Sarah, Glenn, Daniel and Naomi were here for 3 days before Easter. Daniel arrived with a list of "things to do"! So, we set out to accomplish all on his list!
We did pretty good except for one thing! He wanted to play in the rain! Well, it wasn't in God's plan for that to happen...but, everything else we DID do! The pictures tell the story...We ate and played at Chucky Cheese...went to the airport to watch the planes land and take off (no pictures of this outing...it was too cold to pull the camera out!)...then to the beach to fly kites and look for shells...lots of hours spent in the big "dirt hole" in the backyard...he also jogged with daddy...practiced golf in the backyard...and went to Morro Bay and saw the seals...I am sure I am leaving something out...but, that just about covers the fun we had packed into those 3 days!
It was sad to say good bye...there were lots of kisses for GiGi...and off they drove up the street...on their way back home!

Happy "Ball"entine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to all our family and friends!
After much thinking and thinking and thinking I came up
with an idea for Clete on Valentine's Day. As you may
or may not know...Clete is obsessed with collecting
"balls" from our local park. He is usually the first
person to hike through the park EVERY MORNING!
He wants to be the first to look for any balls that have
been left behind by the kids (and adults) that practice
there each day. Some will be in the bushes...mud...stuck
in the fence...weeds...anywhere is fair game! He has
been known to climb over fences and go to great lengths
if he has spotted a ball! It becomes his mission!
So with that said (and you would not believe how many
balls he has found since he started this "obsession" almost
three years ago) I went over to the park at dusk the day before Valentine's Day and "planted" 6 baseballs with hearts and messages to him all over the park! Then waiting patiently for him to get up at the crack of dawn on VD and head over to the park...I watched as he arrived home with his pockets full! He was happy to show me his collection of
Valentine Balls...but, he only had 3 of the 6!!! So, back
we went to collect the remaining balls...with my guidance!
He learned some valuable "life lessons"...to look "up" sometimes...
and to look behind you once in awhile...balls can be ANYWHERE!
Happy Valentine's Day Butchy...I love you...NeeNee

TWO FAMILIES COME TOGETHER TO REUNITE THEIR LITTLE ONES!

This past weekend was very special! I was invited to go down with Sarah and Glenn and the kids to visit a family in Orange County. The other family had adopted Mia last year from the same orphanage that Naomi had been in...the two little ones also had their cleft lips repaired at the same time and spent many months as playmates in the orphanage. So, in keeping with the
Chinese New Year's celebration...the two girls were reunited...
to begin again their friendship...and two families came together also to begin a friendship and share in the love of their precious daughters...Naomi and Mia! The picture on the couch is of all the children at the New Year's party in their chinese clothes enjoying watching "Kung Fu Panda"! The picture of the girls in the pink dresses is so sweet with them holding hands! All in all it was a wonderful way to start new relationships with the New Year...Thank you Sarah and Darren for your wonderful hospitality!

A Labor of Love....

O.K. I think I have some "splainin" to do! I just had to share this "labor of love" because it makes me smile every time Clete does my laundry (which is most of the time since he has retired!) Before when he would wash my "delicates" he tossed them in the dryer and they would come out tangled and frayed! After my gently reminding him that I would like them to hang dry...with the little cups "popped out" (to help them keep their little shape)...this is what I come home to!
I think he is very creative in his design! And so far I haven't had any frayed straps...or dented little cups! Now, how good do I have it!
P.S. It's been two weeks since this post and now Clete has gotten even more creative...he hangs them from right to left...each bra having it's own drawer...can you picture it?...there won't be any more photos...so, use your imagination! :o)

Fun at the Discovery Musuem!

Sarah and I took the kids to the discovery museum on friday for some fun activities! They rode the tractor, the stick ponies, touched a snake (Python), planted seedlings, played in the dog kennel, stood in a huge bubble, magnified their hands, watched the "real" sharks in the aquarium, dug for fossils, played with magnets...and so much more! We'll definitely hit this spot on their next visit!

The cousins together for Christmas...on New Year's Eve!

We celebrated our Christmas on New Year's Eve this year! That's the first day we all were feeling "well" and could get together! The kids were great together...
opening presents...and playing together. Kenna and Emilie were great with Daniel and Naomi who loved being read to! We spent the day just hanging out at the house and playing in the backyard in a big sand pit that Uncle Aaron dug!