Our Little Mermaid

Em's latest show at music camp featured a lovely bevy of mermaids. She was, of course, the very best Mermaid. This girl can sing. Plus, she certainly has the hair for it. All Mermaidy! =) Here is the makeup. The costume had to be left at the camp.

Dinner guests the day we finished painting the room

Exhausted, sweaty, and smelling like paint, I made dinner for the "band" from Billy's show. Turned out pretty nice if I do say so......two kinds of Lasagna. Zuchinni:



and Basil

Waffle shot for 'Chele

Painting a Room 101

I cannot believe we actually we did it. It is not perfect, but it is the lovely blue Ryan wanted so much. He even helped. A little. See how happy he looks??




Before: very faded baby blue.




After: Blue blue on blue- with blue on the side!!

Goodbye Loft Bed!

Emily had the loft bed for just about a year and then decided she didn't like sleeping up in the air. Daddy was SO happy to take it apart! He bundled it up, printed out directions, gathered all the hardware, made a big sign saying "Free Ikea Loft Bed-all hardware and parts included. Almost new". That sucker was gone within ten minutes. Wow.



Hello, New Bed!! Made by her great grandpa, a long time ago....

Michele being young. Made me laugh.

Emily & Kaitlin & Jessica

Em has been good pals with the twins since Kindergarten. Their latest sleepover was an extravaganza: dressing up & making funny films & doing Harry Potter scenes. They are all adorable, no matter how grown up they get!! They are also very loud. =)

A quiet moment



Rewind time a bit......



Rewind a bit more!!

Goodbye, old dead hot tub......

Henry and Em and a nice homemade snow cone

Chef Billy in zee kitchen

Billy the Barefoot Count



The MICHELE shot #2

Barb & Jack, married August 3, 1949

My parents in law, looking DARN good at their 60th anniversary party last week.

Who's back yard IS this????

We got rid of the old dead hot tub. Then Billy worked hard adding pretty stuff and tan bark and lights...and the "Roll & Grow" I have been watering for almost 3 months is finally sprouting some cool wildflowers. Let's BBQ!!







This is the MICHELE shot of the food. Mine is ugly though..



But it tasted GREAT!

Daddy's got a brand new car!

And I have to say, it is long past due!! The new car is 10 years younger than the old one.

1995 Corolla



2005 Camry

Time

I dropped the ball on my blog some time ago. The kids have grown so much. The health of some family members has changed. My parents in law celebrated 60 years of marriage. My son became a teenager. My daughter is off to middle school in a few weeks. We have a new car, a new fridge, a nice newly done back yard. Henry is a big toddler. I will be 50 in a few weeks. The older we get, the more we understand. Live TODAY. Cliche yes, but with very good reason. It's true.

Mar 07 2009 VID00039

Cousin Matt's Wedding!

Matt with sisters Janet & Lindsey, plus Emma


All dressed up in ACTUAL clothes!



Em after the ceremony with youngest cousin Emma, the Flower Girl




With cousins Emma and Lauren at the PARTEH..



Ryan at about 11 p.m. I get the feeling he had had enough. Ya think?

Feb 15 2009 - VID00034

Third Pillar of Islam

My son never lets me down. He is more interesting than anyone I have ever met. We went to Target today. After we payed I pulled out a dollar bill for him to put in the tin box in front of the store. You know-the people who ask you "How you doin' today?" every time you leave Safeway or Target. I asked Ryan if he knew why we give the dollar. He looked at me with a silly Ryan face. I asked "Do you know what the money is for?" and he said "The Third Pillar of Islam?" I laughed. This seemed like such a cute and funny answer. I asked him what the heck he meant. He said "alms". So I looked it up when I got home. Who is laughing now? If you don't know what it is, look it up. This boy has so many levels. Peeling the onion, indeed.

Michele said I had to post this

When Em was little she went to a birthday party for her friend Leila (a Princess dress up party, of course). The "goodie bag" was awesome: a cute kid's cookbook which we started to use right away. One of our favorite recipes was for "nibble sticks"-a dough-ish cheesy, hot dog thing. Unfortunately, Leila's mother passed away about a year after she gave all the birthday guests this book. Every time we use it I am reminded of her- in a happy way. Now my kids are old enough to actually make the nibble sticks on their own. Michele said I had to take pictures and put 'em here-so here they are!

Here's to a better year in 2009-Tea Time