Some Favorite Summer Splashes

Kate's Canonball!

Jane's Irish Dance into the pool

Rachel on the Block

Rachel on the block

Rachel had a great long course season in the 8 and under category. So proud of her!

Beauty and the Beast

Ian and Evan played the parts of Gaston and Maurice in our church’s production of Beauty and the Beast. Our church has the most amazing creative arts academy!!

Fans of the show!

2009 Labs

Ana Maria’s 2009 Results
TSH 1.41 Normal
Glucose 91
Cholesterol 150
Triglycerides 52
HDL 61
LDL 79
HGB 12.8
Blood Pressure 97/65

Ana Maria’s 2006 Results
TSH Normal
Glucose 86
Cholesterol 170
Triglycerides 63
HDL 65
LDL 92
HGB 13.0
Blood Pressure 100/68

Jane’s 4!

Jane celebrated her 4th birthday with a Candy Land cake.
She chose to eat the gum drop forest!
Below, Jane is wearing a birthday outfit from Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Bob.

Parasol Cakes

I baked mini-cupcakes for our elementary school’s bake sale this weekend. I hadn’t intended to do minicakes but I was all out of regular-sized cupcake wraps so I used what I had. I actually prefer making tiny desserts! Since they were smaller than what the average consumer might expect, I thought of ways to make the minicakes more interesting. I began with the ribbon sash idea then placed matching candies on top. Then I remembered I had parasols in the pantry. The third group was inspired by the patriotic tray. I loved them all but the parasol cakes were my favorites!

Love My Pineapples

We also stopped by the Dole Plantation on Oahu for some pineapple frozen yogurt!

Spring Break Family Vacation 2009

We did it! We made it to Hawaii with all our kids. Joel made airline-mile magic and got us all there for a wonderful week of fun!

We visited Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial on our first full day. The next day we went to Hanauma Bay despite the “mostly cloudy” forecast. It turned out to be very cloudy and windy, but Joel and the three older children persevered and managed to see some fish.

The following day, despite another “mostly cloudy” forecast, we went on a hike to Moana Falls described as a “gradual ascent” to a lovely waterfall. You can see in the thumbnail photo of the kids below, we were all VERY excited…

Then the “gradual ascent” became more narrow and less gradual. The mud puddles got deeper and deeper. It began to sprinkle. Kate and I slipped and fell in the mud which wasn’t too bad considering the alternative was to fall off the cliff. By the time we made it to the waterfall, which provided only 10 feet of standing space and a bench for “viewing”, the rain was pouring down. It was so difficult to look at the waterfall because of the spray, the kids begged to get back down. We hiked back down, completely soaked, not caring so much about avoiding the mud puddles this time. By the time we got back to the car, we looked like drowned rats. Yet we all managed to laugh. It was such a ridiculous adventure, all we could do was laugh! One by one we helped the kids out of their muddy clothes. Did I mention all the mosquitos? They got their bites in while everyone was changing into clean clothes. We learned later that day there was an official flash flood warning for Moana Falls. We survived it!

Thankfully, the sun broke the next day and we jumped out of bed to get some good snorkeling. The clerk at Snorkel Bob’s steered us toward Sharks Cove. What a find! It was perfect. The beach is a little rocky, but it provided great spots for snorkeling AND great spots for the younger ones to play safely. We swam with sea turtles and beautiful fish. This was a perfect day.

The rest of the trip was sunny and wonderful. We had great sushi at what has become our favorite pick-up place, Aloha Sushi. We played in the surf at Waikiki beach and made a huge Sand Castle!

Rachel’s First Swim Meet

Rachel competed in her first swim meet on April 4 and 5. She is 8 years old and competed in the 10 and under group. It was a great learning experience for all of us AND she had fun. She was most comfortable with her back stroke and her breast stroke.

We learned to pay very close attention to the races so you don’t miss your turn. Joel saw one boy miss his heat because he ran to the bathroom. Rachel almost missed one of hers too. We also learned it’s not uncommon for new competitors to be disqualified and Rachel was disqualified for different things: turning onto her tummy turning at the wall for the 100M backstroke; not bringing her arms all the way out of the water on the 50M butterfly; and doing a freestyle stroke at the start of her 50M breaststroke. Her qualifying times were: 50M Backstroke (59.34L); 50M Freestyle (1:03.04L).

In this photo, she is second closest on the blocks wearing the colorful pink and orange swimsuit. Go Rachel!!

Merry Christmas 2008

Monterey Wedding 2008

We enjoyed the beautiful wedding of my brother John and Bonnie this summer in Monterey!

Rachel’s 8th Birthday!

First Day of School 2008

Ian and Isabel’s first day of 7th grade and 6th grade. Evan’s first day of 5th grade. Rachel’s first day of 3rd grade and Katie’s first day of Kindergarten!

Tour of the State Capitol and UC Davis

I spent two days in the summer with the kids at the State Capitol and UC Davis.

Chuck E. Cheese’s

I don’t know why it took this long, but Kate and Jane finally went to Chuck E. Cheese’s this summer for the very first time! It was even better than all the commercials they’ve seen.

Summer Birthdays!

Ian’s 12th Birthday, Evan’s 10th Birthday and Kate’s 5th Birthday!

Lake Tahoe Summer

We enjoyed a fun and relaxing week in Lake Tahoe’s north shore this summer with cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents.

Johnny’s 80th Birthday Party!

Johnny’s 80th Birthday Party.

Johnny’s 80th Birthday Party.

Johnny’s 80th Birthday Party.

Joel and the kids Tour the Southwest June 2008

Zion National Park June 2008

Zion National Park June 2008

Zion National Park June 2008

Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park

Escalante State Park

Calf Creek Campground

Calf Creek

Capitol Reef National Park

Goblin Valley State Park

Arches National Park

Port Hueneme April 2008

We stopped at Port Hueneme on our way home from Uncle Tony’s house where we stayed for a couple of nights while our house was being fumigated. 4-19-08

Lunch with my kids

I bought lunch for Evan and Rachel at McDonalds on Friday, April 18, and took it to their school. I sat with Rachel and her friends and had a great lunch!

Career Day 2008

Rachel and Evan dressed for Career Day at school on April 11, 2008. Rachel wants to be a zookeeper. Evan wanted to be a professional football player but had to settle for a basketball player because he didn’t have a a football outfit.

Ice Cream Cones at the Mall

Grandpa Johnny and Grandma Consuelo took the grandkids to the mall, of course, and had McDonalds lunch and cones. 3-29-08

Easter 2008

The kids enjoyed an easter egg hunt
at Uncle Tony’s and Aunt Liz’s house this year.

2008 Primary Election Results

The family registered to vote yesterday before the Primary election vote. The party choices were Republican, Democrat and Independent. The party rolls now read as follows:

Republicans: 3

Democrats: 1

Independents: 2

Winners of the presidential primary election were announced at 5:30 p.m., February 5, 2008 in the dining room.

Republican Results:
1. John McCain (3 votes/75%) 2. Mike Huckabee (1 vote/25%)

Democrat Results:
1. Barack Obama (2 votes/67%) 2. Hillary Clinton (1 vote/33%)

Evan’s 4th Grade Mission Project

Evan’s model of Mision La Purisima Concepcion de Maria Santisima.

Joel looks for the leak

Griffith Observatory

Jane’s First Face!

January 3, 2008

2007 Christmas Talent Show