Jen, Trish & Nicole

Good times, great company.  We love catching up with family and friends (and making them hold our baby), so give us a call next time your in town…or else!

Camping

If you know a good spot and want to go give our budding fishermen a call and they’ll join you.  Two request from Rachel: 1) if you catch em’ gut them before bringing them home and 2) think parmesan crusted halibut, please.

I was tired from traveling, swimming in laundry, and fed-up with family time (sad but true), so when Chris said of course you do I gave him the you just signed your own death warrant look.

Thinking a simple round cake with candle would suffice, I asked what kind of cake…meaning flavor.  Ariel, of course, was the outcome of my poorly worded question.  And we learned the hard way that –No–not all of their dreams come true at Disneyland.  Many of them come true in our very own homes.

Mom and Elsie had a special girls’ day out.  We painted our fingernails, dressed up, and took a hot date (named Spencer) out to Applebee’s for lunch. 

Then we went to Elsie’s program, where mom attempted to video tape, take pictures, and care for “our date” simultaneously.  (Where’s Dad when you need him!!)

Elsie sang with enthusiasm, to say the least, and mom–when asked–acknowledged Elsie’s artistic flare by saying, “She gets it from her dad.”  That will teach him to have an afternoon meeting on such a special day.  

Here’s Elsie with a few fellow performers and neighborhood friends..

Nat had a hard time remembering Mail Myself to You, but tried to keep her composure and when the book magically appeared (thanks Trish), played well.  We’re so proud of her not giving up.  Nate played his own rendition of Yankee Star Wars.  It was wonderful with a big finish.  We celebrated their efforts with yummy musical cookies, tuxedo strawberries (Trish style) and a piano cake, made by Natalie.

Natalie’s singing group auditioned to perform at Disneyland.  After they were accepted and ran the gauntlet of extra Saturday-morning practices for 3 months, we packed up the whole fam and went along.   All those practices paid off.

Choral Collection gave a wonderful show.  We were so proud of their enthusiasm and professionalism.  After all that hard work, we were glad the rest of the time was ours to play. 

We spent 2 days in Disneyland and 1 day in California Adventure.  While there, we stalked many costumed–I mean “we made a lot of new friends. . .” The Disney characters left their marks in our harts and the girls’ homemade autograph books.

Katie was lucky to celebrate her 6th birthday in “The Magic Kingdom”. 

Two months ahead, I carefully planned a birthday surprise and was disgusted to discover that I packed my recipts–not the vouchers for our lunch reservation with the princesses.  Luckily everything worked out after I ran from customer service booth to office to who-knows-where-else,  shedding tears and cursing my ineptitude under my breath (while Chris entertained the troops in “Bugs life”).    Photo ID and my receiptswere enough… We  finally lunched with the princesses which was, as you can imagine, heaven for our girls.  And Spencer didn’t come off too badly himself–as our little napping prince got kissed by Sleeping Beauty herself.

Natalie had an endocrinologist appt.

with Dr. Swinyard yesterday & has grown

1/2 inch in three months. 

She’s grown 3 1/2 inches in the past 11 months. 

All of her hard work is paying off. 

She celebrated with (badly needed) Hannah Montana shoes . . .

but I have the feeling that soon she’ll be borrowing mom’s.

The “Amazing Katie” balances on the beam sideways! 

Let’s see your kid do that!!

Elsie jumps in the “pit” at Little Flippers,

where mom takes her & Katie to expend energy once a week–

which is not nearly often enough.