Five on Friday

It's been such a busy, yet blessed week!
Truly a week of celebrating God's abundance through Harvest Season.

1. Highlights from the class field trip to the pumpkin farm: pictures next to the Mickey Mouse scarecrow, conversations to/from the patch since we got to hitch a ride, and tasting pumpkin fudge (it's good, yet i'm a "plain" chocolate fan).

2. We made pumpkin cut-out cookies

and roasted pumpkin seeds from our pumpkin . talk about flour all over the kitchen :)

3. We carved our family pumpkin turned off the lights to enjoy the glow!
4. All the "farmers" in class enjoyed painting pumpkins, stamping with corn & gourds, pumpkin-shaped cookie decorating

and digging the gooey slime out of pumpkins during the classroom harvest party.

Of course, as a mom, i especially enjoyed the class's presentation of songs. My favorite was "OOOH, Taste and see that the Lord is good, the Lord is good......"

5. Today, we'll enjoy a dip in the pool, a nap, hot dog dinner, then off to the country fair! We are SO excited! We've many many fond memories and certain rides and jumpies we look forward to. Pete's favorite is a type of teacup spinning ride that is enclosed. The new one this year is a ferris wheel. There are super tall slides (seem to be 2 stories high), inflatables, ponies, a chili cook off and more.

Ten on Tuesday

1. Thank the Lord for being the cement that holds our marriage together - 11 years we celebratedon Saturday as a family.
2. We took a walk down memory lane with the kids at Seaport Village. They enjoyed the things we used to do together before they were born, WITH us:

3. bayfront walk in the crisp evening air, hanging in a hammock, greek gyros, meetball subs, pizza, but especially

4. the moon and stars above as we counted boats (ferryboats, sailboats, police boats, sternwheeler boats) that sailed across the reflective water.

5.We'll get our alone date in too!
6.Backyard conversations while we water the plants and play in the dirt: "I need mud"(little brother) "Let's go the park and find some ant pets for my ant farm" (big brother).

7.And we did gather up ants at the park.

8. The glorious sun warmed us up this past week after last tuesday's respit from the heat - we still hit the parks and the pumpkin farm for a hay ride- there was more water and less "chatting"

...the kids didn't seem phased by the temperatures, just the parents.


9. At an educational presentation about pumpkin life cycles, we learned that a bee has ONE day to pollinate when the flower is open, in order for it to become a pumpkin!

10. Also, that to hold a pumpkin by a stem is like holding a person by his/her hair. it hurts the pumpkin. ouch!

Super at spur of the moment

The way I see it, Pete grew up with Mike and Mickey pretty much being his second parents. They are wonderful at spur of the moment get togethers - we are blessed each time. Mickey was tagging along with Mike who was traveling for work, which brought them down our way. We got a call at 8 in the morning and around 10 we arrived at their hotel for some swimming fun!

Time flies amazing fast, we were chatting that it could possibly

have been about two years since we've seen each other?!?

The great part is that each time we see each other

we easily pick up just where we left off... these two people are so warm and caring.

Our little one prefers the "cold" pool. Isn't that a cute picture of these two holding hands. I found out later that he said "I wuv you" to Mickey.

Once their body temperature adjusted, BOTH of these guys enjoyed "hot pool" AKA jacuzzi

Thanks for calling us as you were passing through.

It was great to see you two!

Ten on Tuesday

1. Praise God for giving me diligence and helping me to catch up at work! Thank you Lord. It could not have been done in my own strength: the day was fully booked, 3 reports to dictate, and 4 to correct & send out, plus call backs and being tired from planting trees the night before.
2. The boys found a praying mantis in the back yard the other day and made him a "home" in an open box, with grass, water, and shade. Its fun to meet the creatures in the yard, we've also found a few caterpillars.
3. Five shade trees planted, and five to go! Check out www.energycenter.org for your free shade trees, these are available thru December 2008 or the 14,000 trees are given away.
4. woohoo! our 11 year wedding anniversary is this week, and grandma already blessed us with a loving card and an offer to babysit (she lives 3 hours away. that's love ;)
5. I'm looking forward to the upcoming week of prayer. wanna join me ? check out www.weekofprayerandfasting.org.
2 Chron 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
6. The cooler weather is such a blessing!
7. Harvest time is so fun. I'm trying to keep everyone rested and healthy cuz I'm looking forward to an all school field trip to a pumpkin farm and apple picking this coming week.
8. Still trying to take better care of myself - this week adding on drinking more water, to daily breakfast :)
9. about 400 walking steps from my car to my desk at work. random thought. i was counting on my way in.
10. off to plant more trees with my hubby...... have a wonderful week!

Outdoor escapades

We were blessed with a special visitor who made a trip from West Hollywood

specifically to see his newly turned 5-year old cousin. A saturday afternoon at the Wild Animal Park included a Journey into Africa, the Samburu Jungle Gyma and the Frequent Flyers bird show. The next day we were blessed with sunshine, clear skies and warm weather for our swim and picnic by the pool.
"I swimming. I get in water"
"I'm so happy I'm swimming"

Five is Funtastic!

"I'm five today!" were the first words out of his mouth...

On the way out for breakfast first thing in the morning

he was met with his birthday request of banana crumb muffins...
surprise they were lit with five candles
(it's sideways, forgot to rotate before uploading)


the long awaited desire to care for a pet fish was answered as it was his birthday present!
Dad set up the tank the nite before.

A new birthday wish for TWO fish was expressed, one for him and one for his brother.
Aidon was serenaded by buddies Abby & Sophia over the phone and they engaged in a long chat about pet fish and playdates.
Then he was blessed to hear birthday greetings from Grandma as he opened the gift she sent
Gramps Al sang a beritone Happy Birthday jazz style
Aidon loves books!
Grandma listens in over the phone as daddy reads the story about
the Hawaiian fish, Humu

Aunt Sammie rings in with a birthday hello while grandma and all are reading along

Off we went & the boys picked out their fish then proudly and gently carried their fish thru the store to the register and safely on the car ride home to adjust to their new aquarium
Next destination, the zoo. A surprise that our buddy could join us!
It was a spontaneous decision last night at 9pm, it was a blessing that dear friends were so willing to join at the spur of the moment!
And another buddy!!! wow!
One last picture before heading out of the zoo and ending a fun filled morning together visiting the reptile house, hippos and cat canyon


Off the 4 of us went to the Wild Arctic...first stop was walruses to honor little brother's request (that was sweet of the birthday boy)...here we are inside a polar bears den

Tita Marn called and wanted to meet us wherever we were..and she joined us for a one hour jaunt around the Wild Arctic...she also gave a well received gift of a toy drum "I have been wishing for this for a long long time. Thank you"
This big birth-day was on a Friday and the birthday boy wanted to be sure to attend our usual friday family bible study Casa V. He ended his day with cupcakes and a "Happy Birthday Song" fellowshipping with friends...and praising God for his wonderful day. The day was a blessing to all of us. That night as I was dimming the lights throughout our home, I walked by as he sat in front of Gobble and Crush's aquarium -- he prayed that God would help them live. Thank you God for answered prayers throughout the day!

Almost Five

This "5 birthday" has been anticipated by the birthday boy for at least 9 months.
The celebration began one day early with a classroom party of
submarine shaped pbj sandwiches, banana mini muffins, and bday cupcakes of course.

Lunch for our family of four was at old' Chuck E's then a surprise change of plans
landed us at the local Nickel Arcade

We played skee ball, raced Nascar racecars, arcade games, stomping spiders, earning tickets along the way

All those tickets earned us well enjoyed prizes

Both boys had a bundle of energy and a desire to hang around at the Wild Animal Park

cozy up in a Hanging nest

He's almost 5 years old

Ten on Tuesday

1. It's been a week since my parents left on vacation; it's helped us to renew our appreciation for you family and friends. The boys also talk about how they miss grandma, lolo and lola.

2. We've offered our house up to the Lord again. We believe that the big picture is that it's God's plan for us to be out of financial bondage (mortgage debt, auto debt, etc) and it will be His way (not our way), so we aren't deciding on having a mortgage...He will. We plan on it sitting on the market as God fulfills his plan for us to stay or go.

3. We are on a one year waitlist for affordable housing.

4. I am taking better care of myself -- right now, focusing on trying to eat breakfast each day.

5. last week, our preschool class took a fieldtrip to the local Creation Museum and it was such a special time. One new thing we learned: how God made light (before he created the sun, moon & stars). Back to school nite was this week too and we enjoyed the class singing for us and sharing their work.

6. Thanks to my sister for loving and caring for our boys as we went out on the town on for Employee Appreciation Nite for my husband's work. We really enjoyed ourselves! Great catered food - an italian station, a mexican cuisine station, a crudite, coffee & dessert station. Several rooms of entertainment - Casino magic, karaoke, live jazz band, DJ spinning Hip Hop.

7. the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park could use everyone's patronage as it supports them financially. We'll be heading over there more often now :)

8. We made a home made snow globe with an empty twist bottle, water & glitter. fun!

9. I'd love to spend some time in the back yard with the family so we can re-focus on caring for our plants.

10. The boys and I enjoyed having a chance to talk about how God is always with us at times we are disappointed that things didn't turn out as expected.

Lola n Lolo See You Soon!

Look at all this luggage that fills the back of the van.Last hug as the bus pulls up
The boys join their grandparents in the bus
Have a wonderful vacation Lolo n Lola
See you soon