Michaela is Five!

My girl is now five! Today was her birthday, but she "officially" turned five just about half an hour before I wrote this. It was a good day. It was filled with fun and special treats. I have some great pictures too!

The day started out with Keith making us a yummy breakfast of bacon, eggs and O'Brien potatoes. Yum! After breakfast, Keith made the kids some hot chocolate. Then we straightened up a bit and Michaela opened a few presents from us.

She was so excited and wanted to open up all her presents, but we were having a family dinner for her that night and wanted her to be able to open more later.

Here are the kids posing for the camera before she opened some of her gifts.

After this, they got dressed and we cleaned up for our dinner guests. They played outside and then Keith took them all to the park later in the afternoon.

We had dinner with Grandma and Grandpa, Auntie Ris, all of us and my Aunt Faring. Michaela requested spaghetti and meatballs for her birthday dinner. We had that and salad, garlic bread and I even made Minestrone soup for scratch. I am quite surprised how yummy it came out! Of course we used Kaela's birthday plates. For her dinner plates she picked an Ariel design. The dessert plates were Belle and the napkins were Barbie 12 Dancing Princesses. We added the extra table so that we could all eat at the same table. It was tight, but it was so nice to be all together!

We were all stuffed, but still had cake to devour! Mom brought - per Kaela's request - a chocolate cake from Red Ribbon. This cake seems to be a tradition as far as birthday cakes goes with our family!

Here's Kaela after blowing out the candles. We all enjoyed our cake and ice cream. We even had fresh cut strawberries! After cake, the adults had strawberry Margaritas - Tequila compliments of Aunt Joyce and Uncle Orv!

After cake and Margaritas, Kaela finally got to open up the rest of her gifts. She had a nice round of gifts waiting to be opened. All week we received packages. She got gifts and cards from Aunt Julie, Grandma Fischer, Grandma Karen, Aunt Karensa and Uncle Paul, Grandpa Dennis and Grandma Mary and of course the gifts that her dinner guest brought. Oh, and a couple more from us.


She received some really nice gifts including an Easter dress from Grandma Tessie and Grandpa Manny, a pretty blanket from Grandpa Dennis and Grandma Mary and a really neat hand sewn sundress from Grandma Karen. Here she is modeling her new sundress. She, of course, wants to wear it to school tomorrow, but it looks like we might have to hold off a few days. It is supposed to rain!

Well, I'd say all in all Michaela's birthday was a good one! She had a great day and was showered with gifts from her loved ones. So, off until next weekend when I can report on Kevin's and McKenna's birthday days!

ETA: Okay, so I edited this on 3/26. As my good friend, Julie, pointed out, Michaela is not six (as the pre-edit stated). Michaela has turned five! She just seems like she's six!

Find the Cure for Pediatric Cancer!

I'm walking in May to support the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation.

My family has been blessed to have met the Johnson Family. Their daugther Danielle and my son Kevin have been in the same classes for the last two years. Their youngest child, Thomas, was diagnosed with cancer when he was just three years old. Fighting the battle over the last two years has been very hard. Thomas has endured several painful and trying procedures and surgeries. The family has been through so much. But through it all, they stayed strong and really did all they could to keep their spirits up. Their family is the true definition of faith and hope! During his last round of testing, it has been determined that he is in remission!

To see what Thomas had to endure and what his family went through has inspired me to help any way I can. So, my son Kevin and I will be walking in the 9th Annual PCRF Reaching for the Cure Run/Walk.

If you are local to Orange County, CA and would like to join, "Team Thomas", contact me and I will get you the info needed. If you want to help and sponsor me in the walk, please click below. It'll give you the info you need to help.

Donate Here!

I Don't Know Why I Can't Find the Time

Well, looks like practically another month has come and gone and this poor blog has not gotten an update. I have been busy busy with life. But, when I'm asked what I've been up to, I don't have really anything to report. I am just going through life. Endless car rides here and there. TO the grocery store, Target, Walmart. Video store, post office. Ballet. Cub Scouts. Demo meetings, but no classes or workshops! People visiting - very fun! But, nothing worth blogging it seems. Or worth blogging but I don't have the time and by the time I do, it is well past "reporting" worthy. *sigh*

So, here is my big wow for today...it is 93 degrees today. Yes, that's right a HOT 93. I guess another "newsworthy" item. We are paying $3.10 a gallon for gas. Oh well, the price we pay for living in SoCal.