Happy Birthday, America!

We were pretty low-key for the 4th of July this year. We decided to meet some friends and try to find a parking spot to watch the Tolleson fireworks. We found the perfect spot behind a warehouse--we asked security if we could park there, and they let us if we hid our cars around back. It was great, we had the parking lot to ourselves and an awesome view.

We both popped a bowl of popcorn, made some cookies, and brought drinks. The waiting was even pleasant, because it wasn't too hot out and there was a nice breeze. The kids got a little impatient for the show to start, but the adults had a good time talking and snacking.

Sareny and Ema...neither of whom is looking at the camera.

Finley with a little firework above her head.

Keith held Finley for a lot of it, who spilled Strawberry Crush all down her pajamas.

It is really hard to catch fireworks with a camera. This is the best I did.

We had a fabulous time!

Finley Lynn turns 2!

My sweet little girl turned two on Friday.

She was very excited for her special day. We celebrated by having our friends the Drapers over for dinner and cake and ice cream. We had shredded beef soft tacos with homemade flour tortillas, and it was really yummy. I was pretty busy getting everything ready for dinner, so I enlisted Sareny to wrap Fin's presents. I think she did a pretty good job!

Finley was especially excited to open her presents. She picked up the first one and took a big bite of the wrapping paper.

It was a blur of wrapping paper as she ripped into her gifts, not bothering to check out what was in one before moving on to the next.

Then it was on to the cake. Not decorated fancy, but really yummy. I made a strawberry cake mix and cream cheese frosting with fresh pureed strawberries mixed in. She was so cute and excited while we sang to her.

She blew out the candles with just a little help from brother, although I don't think she needed it. She blew out one and he blew out the other one.

Finally she was interested in her presents. She got a hot pink zhu-zhu pet hamster and this little ramp and slide for it to scamper around on. She also got a cute barbie and baby doll.

She clapped her hands as the pet made it up the ramp.

Later on she was lounging on the floor with her new toys, and it was so cute.

Grandma Nancy had sent Finley a birthday package a while ago, and I forgot to have her open it on her birthday, so she got to open it up the next day. She knew just what to do and was pretty excited. Here she is modeling one of the new outfits grandma sent.

Showing off the cute shirt.

Showing off her dimple.

Showing off her bucky's.

Happy Birthday to my little Finney girl!

I'm a big kid now!

Isaac turned four years old on Monday, and we had a special birthday party for him on Saturday. He wanted a Goonies party, of all things. By allowing this theme to rule the day, I was basically letting all my friends know that I'm a bad mom and let my kids watch Goonies, which, let's face it, has more cuss words than you'd hear from a drunken sailor. Oh well. Self-sacrificing mom that I am, I let my good reputation go to the wind and planned a Goonies shindig for my boy.

The kids had several tasks to complete, including throwing pirate coins into the wishing well and walking the plank.

They also had to play the bones, shoot cannons, and do the truffle shuffle. (They played notes in the correct order on Finley's little piano, shot some nerf guns at targets, and did the hamster dance.) Then they found the pirate booty. Each kid got a marble bag that held: marbles, Baby Ruth's, a ring pop, Rollo's, and Nuggets. They turned out pretty good, and I think the kids had a good time, even if they totally missed any and all Goonies references. If they would have gotten it, I would have served Rocky Road ice cream, but instead we just let Isaac pick out his favorite flavor.

On Monday, Isaac's actual birthday, we had Panda Express and took Finley to a babysitters while the rest of us went to see Toy Story 3. It was really good, and we had a nice time. I was glad not to have Finley with us, since I actually wanted to enjoy the movie.

I forgot to take Isaac's picture on his birthday, so I did a little photo shoot today. Here are some of my favorites.

Here he did his glamor shots pose.

Silly pose.

The requisite scary hands/taco tongue pose.

I actually got him to do a more natural smile.

silly face

And this is what happens when a little boy is done with a photo shoot.

This is the last one that I took and my favorite one of the whole bunch. It pays to be persistant.

Happy birthday to my handsome, silly, lovable little boy.

Class Reunion

Two weekends ago, I travelled to my mom and dad's house for my 15 year high school reunion. Has it really been 15 years?? Apparently so. I must say, I am so glad to have those turbulent, emotional, crazy years behind me! I think I have grown so much as a person since HS. Keith was unable to attend with me, and I was a little concerned about going to my reunion stag, but found out that several of my friends would be there sans husband too, so it worked out fine.

Here is the group of us--backrow: Ryan, Elizabeth, Melissa, Lauralyn, Will, Kiley, Clarence, me, Amy, Ryan, Jason, Shane, Tricia. front row: Heidi, Shellie, Chantal, Vicki, Myrna, Michele, Tanya, and Becky. Obviously there were more people that I graduated with than are pictured here, and I was a little disapointed that some of the people who are local didn't bother to come. I heard that at least one person didn't come because "they didn't like high school," and I just thought, "Who did??" Anyway, we all had a lot of fun catching up with each other.

My friend Amy was put in charge of the event at our last reunion, and she asked me to come up with some games. I had a lot of fun with it! Here is the trivia game I made up.

For another game, we had some of our old teacher's voices recorded saying something they would have said back in the day, and we had to name that teacher. I also came up with some interesting awards to give out, and I think everybody thought they were pretty funny. Here are the awards, and the prizes each person got.

Most Kids--Score bar

Youngest kid--Ovulation predictor kit

Oldest kid--Ibuprofin

Lives closest to high school--a map of the US

Traveled farthest to come to reunion--a bag of peanuts for their flight home.

Newest newlyweds--Ringpops

Married longest--Cuddle soft dryer sheets.

Most interesting or dangerous job--fill in the blanks living will

First to register for reunion--a ball for being on the ball

Last to register for reunion--Nutrageous, because that's pretty outrageous to just show up at your reunion! (I think this is the only award I was in the running for...)

Most degrees, or who couldn't stop going to school--Smarties

Lived in the most places--packet of seeds so they can put down some roots.

Changed the least since high school--a disguise kit with glasses and mustache.

I thought these were pretty clever, and I really tried to not have things that would hurt anybody's feelings. And if you're thinking the prizes were lame, they were purchased at the dollar store, so that would explain that. So I was thinking, if they would have had a award for Most Shy back in HS, I totally could have won that one. And look at me now--

I had to be up in front of everybody talking, and I actually had fun doing it! Here is me with my friend Heidi.

And another group shot.

Aren't we a cute bunch?!

A little stinker

You just do not let this girl get ahold of a pen, pencil, or crayon, but a marker is the absolute worst.

I can't tell you how many times we've had to clean little scribbles off the walls, appliances, cabinets, furniture, windows, and chubby little legs. Sareny and Isaac both tried coloring on the wall once or twice, but quickly learned better. Not Finley. She just figures if you are foolish enough to leave a writing implement within her reach, then you deserve what's coming to you. Her awesome body art did not wash off for days, and we had to go to swimming lessons with her legs like that.

Any guesses where this marker ended up??

Swimming Lessons

The kids are two weeks into swimming lessons for the summer, and it is going great!

Finley is in the parent/child class with me, and she loves it. Mostly she loves to climb on the stairs and play in the gutter as opposed to doing the skills the lifeguard is trying to teach, but at least she is having fun.

She got brave and put her face in the water. Usually when the lifeguard comes over to check her skills and asks her to try something Finley gets a very grouchy look on her face and says, "uh-uh. Mommy!"

Isaac was in a level one class for the first session, and today he just started in level two.

His level one class made the kids sit on the edge of the pool while they wait for their turn. Not very fun, in my opinion, but he seemed to enjoy it and did great, although I think he had a lot more fun in the level two class today.

 Sareny is in level three, where she is doing great. She loves learning how to dive and has even swam the whole length of the pool. She's a bit smaller than most of the kids in the class.

Ready to practice some new kicks and breathing techniques with a kickboard held out in front of her.

I'm so glad they are all enjoying swimming lessons this summer and doing so well.

Sareny's turn to shine

Sareny loves drawing, and I think she is pretty good at it. When she showed me a picture she drew of her Build-a-Bear, I just had to take pictures.

I was surprised at how accurate it looked, other than the curly dark hair, which she obviously added.

Sareny has always been Miss Independent. If there is even the slightest hope that she can do something herself, she is going to try. A couple of weeks ago, I was surprised to see a little braid in her hair. I couldn't believe she would attempt something like this--I still can't braid my own hair!

I don't think it looks half bad for a first try, ecpecially when you're only 6. Anyway, she continues to amaze me and dazzle me daily with the things she comes up with.

Here's a few of the silly things she has said lately.
"I can't marry Isaac, because he's my brother. I'll marry Rhys." (he's her first cousin.) "That's okay, right mom?"

I have a picture of me as a baby that I have always loved. I was only a couple months old, and my mom had curled the top of my hair over her finger in a kind of swoop. (You know the hairstyle I'm talking about.) Sareny looked at the photo and asked, "how come you have a snarl on top of your head??"

We've recently been looking at houses, and about a month ago, as we drove through a neighborhood, Sareny said, "Ooooh, a cul-de-sac!" And she was right too. Apparently these little sponges are listening to everything we say.