November's Pebble Beach Horse Back Ride

Finally, getting this posted from November: Gabriel and Mommy had a great time the Sunday after Thanksgiving going to the Pebble Beach Equestrian Club. We got to take a horse back ride through the Del Monte Forest and up on the sand dunes over looking the ocean and the Pebble Beach Gold Course! Gabriel got to ride a horse named "Trooper" which he LOVED that name!! Trooper was introduced to him as acting like a 3 year old which Gabriel would be well aware what that is like since he has a 3 year old brother! Trooper seemed to sense he had a novice on his back and caused trouble but I think it added all the more to the adventure!! Gabriel would love to go back and ride "Trooper" again. We had a fun time and we'd like to go again next year.

Conversation with Philosophical Annalina

This happened a few weeks ago but I am finially getting it blogged. One morning at breakfast Annalina asked me "When can I drive?" We discussed that and then she said "Why do people have to go to college?" I said it was because it opened up more opportunities, usually better paying jobs, and that sometimes jobs were closed to people simply for the fact they didn't have a college degree. Annalina's response was "What about what Jesus wants you to do?" Good point! I said that we should study something that would help what Jesus wants us to do! After she and I talked she turned to Ross and said "Ross, God opens doors for you. He doesn't really come to the door! . . . . . . That would be a surprise!" Wow, where did she get that illustration and understand it!! Pretty funny!

After that conversation she started talking about the night before when (Babe was at school writing a paper) and I heard a banging on the house, etc. and I called Babe to let him know I did now know what I was hearing and it was scary and I put the kids in the bathroom and told them to lock the door. The first few minutes I was in there with them and Gabriel started quoting out loud Joshua 1:9 "Have not I commanded you be strong and of a good courage . . ." I could tell he was encouraging himself in the Lord. Annalina started praying and Ross saw her doing that so he prayed too. Gabriel told me later "Bible verses are always useful for a time in need." Very true.

Anyway, back to breakfast and what Annalina told me. She said "Mommy, last night when we were locked in the bathroom (when Babe came home he and I were out in the house with the kids still in the bathroom to make sure all was well) I told Ross how to go to heaven. I want him to get saved. I hoped in my head that he would talk to a Cubbies leader, I said "He could talk to Mommy and Daddy to which she replied "I know but if he wasn't with you." I was very touched she didn't know what was going to happen to Mommy and Daddy out in the house or to them and she saw the need to share the good news of the Gospel with her little brother. "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speeketh."

I talked to the kids later and told them that I was pleased with how they handled the situation and said that the only thing I want for them and that I pray for is that they will "love the Lord with all their heart, soul, and mind." Gabriel said "Duet 6:5" I said "what is that?" because I don't remember references to verses. Then he started quoting the verse I had just said to him. He was just adding the reference to what I had said. I am very glad to see that they are hiding God's Word in their hearts. Ross told me "I think I need to grow up to be a soldier for God" and I hope he does that. It would thrill this mommy's heart.

The Nutcracker

Daddy and Annalina had a date for the Nutcracker Ballet up in San Francisco. Annalina LOVED the evening with her Daddy!! Babe told me on the way back to the car which was parked about 2 blocks from the performance she twirled about every other step!! When she got back to the hotel she had to show me her twirls. It was obviously one of those great childhood memories. I was so touched to watch little Annalina in her special outfit she and I picked out twirling around holding Daddy's hand like a ballerina and thinking that someday she wouldn't be that little twirling ballerina anymore. How fun it is to watch this stage. I am so thankful for my one little girl. I am thankful for all of my kidlets but it is nice to have one twirling ballerina!

When she and I went to look for an outfit she was telling everyone that she was going to the ballet!! She was soo excited and the evening obviously did not disappoint!!

One Year Starts from Today

Couple momentous things from today. Gabriel and I started reading through the Bible together. Our goal is to finish in a year. We read our own Bible and just sat next to each other and set the timer for 13 minutes. I had heard recently that 11 minutes a day will do it and I'm a slow reader so 13 might be better! It was fun and Gabriel and I talked about the Tree of Life after we were done and how that Adam and Eve would have had to live forever in their sin if they had eaten it and how in Revelation that tree will be open to eat from with 12 fruits. What will it taste like? Anyway, I am excited to have this journey with Gabriel. It was funny to me that in just the first day we thought some of the same things about the same verses and he brought it up!

Carson started getting up on his hands and knees more consistently today! Yah, crawling is on its way!

Ross was so funny today I was reading him Christmas books he was pulling out of the Christmas book box and he grabbed one book and didn't open it up to look inside it until he got to me and to his dismay it was not a picture book but a book filled with WORDS!! He said "THIS BOOK SCARES ME IT HAS WORDS!" Again and Again, so cute.

Just something I read and liked:

"Just think, you're here not by chance,

but by God's choosing.

His hand formed you

and made you

the person you are.

He compares you to no one else--

you are one of a kind.

You lack nothing

that His grace can't give you.

He has allowed you to be here at this time in history to fulfill His special purpose

for this generation."--Roy Lessin

I smell something sweet . . .

We were walking out of Costco last night and I was holding Ross and I smelled something very sweet in the air like someone was baking something and I said "I smell something very sweet" to which Ross replied "it must be me." I got a good laugh, what a kid.

Constant Mommy Equals Much JOY.

I was telling my parents stories about the kids today as I was talking to the them on the phone and my dad said you need to put those on your blog.

Annalina was drawing a picture to go along with a thank you note she had written to Grandma and Grandpa for some fun things they had sent to her. They were really meant for crafting but she thought they looked like Smudgies which is a strange creature that comes off one of her favorite shows "The Upside Down Show". She had drawn a picture of she and Ross playing with the Smudgies and came to show it to me and I thought it was cute then she said she still had to "draw Mommy to make the picture real." She meant that the picture wouldn't be a true picture if Mommy wasn't there, basically Mommy is always there. Boy, talk about grabbing my heart. Sometimes I get discouraged that I haven't lost my baby weight because I am so busy or I look tired but it is statements like that make it all worth while. I love being a part of the pictures of their lives. It is a great joy and as it says in a quote the mother that stays home is paid one of the highest salaries LOVE." So true!

The other story was from about a week and a half ago. Gabriel had been saving money to buy a remote control dinosaur and finially had enough money to purchase it. We were getting ready to leave the house and Gabriel said "Mommy, are we really going to go buy the dinosaur?" I heard Annalina say to Gabriel "Mommy, wouldn't say it if she wasn't going to do it."

I love my job. Sometimes I am overwhelmed by the responsibility and even the amount of work which thanks to a fantastic husband is easier and sometimes I feel like pulling out my hair but I LOVE my work of love. God has blessed me with an amazing husband and amazing kids. When I type that it sounds so over said but God really is so good, so good to me.

School Thanksgiving Party

The kids and I had a great day full of Thanksgiving FUN!! We read Thanksgiving books, worked on our own Thanksgiving fun activity books, and did Thanksgiving crafts! I need to take a picture of them with their crafts. Their favorite Thanksgiving book remains Squanto about the amazing circumstances of Squanto's life the prepared him for the job God had for him. That book they had looked forward to hearing! It was such a fun day doing the out of the ordinary . . . well, except for Gabriel and Annalina did do their cursive. We even had a super fun snack a Thanksgiving Turkey cupcake cake!

Even Ross got in on the Thanksgiving worksheets! He really put himself into it and made such funny comments as he was working! On the bottom of one worksheet it had small font words and he pointed at them and said "the word says Grandma {aka Grandpa} told us about succulents [plants all over this area of CA] and trees that's what the word says!" Then on another page where he was suppossed to fill in the blanks with correct words [actually Gabriel and Annalina were!] he just scribbled all over the page with yellow crayon and said that the page said "to write words that were bumps" and then he said "This page is going really fast for me!" Histerical. He did another blank page where he "drew" a picture of "a big flower sat by the house with a but on it" and said "Mommy, this (one part of his picture) one is a very hard one for me!" Gabriel and Annalina enjoyed the humor of his comments too!

More of my Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Pictures

I found that I really enjoyed not having to think about the traditional Thanksgiving food and the purchasing and preparation of it, at least for this year. It was really fun to to hang out. I wish Babe could have hung out at the beach with us but there is plenty of more time here for that!

Non-Traditional Thanksgiving

Yes, it was a very non-traditional Thanksgiving day as my friend said this morning! BUT, so much to be thankful for . . . my hubby is home, I have a beautiful new baby along with 3 other amazing kids, I live in a beautiful area of California, I get to do the job I love (raising my children), I have a house that covers my head and keeps me warm, I have a husband who is my best friend, I have amazingly supportive parents, and the list could go on and on.

The day was non-traditional in that we did not have a big feast. Instead, I spent some of the morning with the kids and a friend and her son as our hubby's hit the books because they are nose deep in writing papers before the end of the quarter. The beach was absolutely breath takingly beautiful!!! There were A LOT of people with the same idea as us . . . Thanksgiving at the beach. At lunch time Babe and I went back down to the beach and ate at a American burger resteraunt and that was a lot of fun. The kids got to play with the robotic dinosaur Gabriel finially saved up enough money for and bought last night and they had a lot of fun doing that. The dinosaur is pretty realistic and some ways which makes it all the more fun.

Pretty good understanding for a 3 year old . . .

Ross came to me one or two days ago and said "God did not like Goliath's SIN" (Notice he said SIN and not GOLIATH). He remembered that God loves the sinner and hates the sin which he's been taught. Anyway, I agreed and he said "his sin was killing people" (Wow, excellent that he can identify a specific sin) then he said "Thou shalt not kill" and then said something about "the ten commandments". Super Duper, WOW, he knew WHY it was a sin and the verse that said so!!!

What Happiness is All About . . .

Tonight we were at Target shopping and we were talking about a toy that had a blue award ribbon on it with a #1. Annalina was asking me if I could put the blue ribbon in her hair and I was trying to say in a kind way that wasn't what it was for and I said "What would you have won a blue ribbon for?" and all of a sudden Gabriel said "I know what she won the blue ribbon for, for being the sweetest girl in the whole world." Wow, was that ever nice of a BROTHER!! Annalina just beemed when she heard him. Later tonight when Gabriel was by himself I told him how nice that was of him and how sisters need big brothers that say things like that to them. Gabriel's response was "It made me happy" (to say what he said). And he said "Just like when you do what God says your happy and when you say what Satan says you are sad."

He is as my dad would say "A tender warrior". He can sword fight VICIOUSLY and he loves all things war and bombs but he can be a tender warrior. Also, how important is it to learn true happiness which is doing what God has asked and being in His will and therefore his care and hands.

Darts and Dollars

One morning this week Ross was having a major attitude problem and I was talking to to him and telling him that his behavior was making Satan happy as I was talking Annalina turned from her school work and said to Ross "STOP His Darts!!" I thought that was great!!! She told me she learned that in AWANA. Ross did turn a new leaf.

Another story I wanted down was about Gabriel. The kids get pretend dollars at children's church and once a month they can go to the "store" and buy things. The kids came out and Annalina had wanted something she didn't have enough money for so Gabriel bought it for her then Gabriel saw water guns and thought "Ross talks about going hunting with Uncle Ben with his black gun so I think he likes guns" so he bought Ross the pkg. of guns then he bought himself a $1 pencil . . . that is love.

Heaven is a Wonderful Place

Gabriel was having his Bible this morning for school. He is reading through the whole book of John which he is enjoying. Anyway, today he got to a verse he had previously memorized (not John 3:16) anyway that got him going on Heaven and he just kept saying OVER and OVER how great Heaven is going to be and how he was looking forward to it! What a blessing to hear!! Even when he went on to another subject he was still stopping to talk about it!!! It really got him going! I am thankful he has the "blessed hope" we have in Christ.

I thought . . . Hmmm, maybe God is with me!!!

Ross has been terrified lately of monsters in his room. I kept telling him there are none and that in the days of creation on no days does it say "God created monsters on day 3 or whatever day!" Sometimes, I would pray with him for God to help him. We also had him sleep in a sleeping bad on our floor when he would wake up. We had a few really rough nights he was having so much trouble.

This morning Ross came into my room and whispered to me "I was not scared of monsters at all last night and I thought Hmmm maybe God is with me!" Things like that totally get me when they realize the peace and protection and most of all the presence of God.

September 19th, Afternoon

We went on a drive to Big Sur!! SOOO Beautiful! The kids got to ride in Grandpa and Grandma's rental car that had a sun roof! They thought that was pretty neat!!

Ross's 3rd Birthday Party!-September 19th, 2009

Grandpa and Grandma J were here for Ross's birthday which he was very happy about! Ross got this Indiana Jones hat which for a while hardly every left his head! Gabriel assembled the lego bull dozer on Ross's cake. Aunti Flo and Auntie Grace were also here so it was one big party!! Ross really enjoyed it!

September 19th, Morning

Grandpa and Grandma J came the night before Ross' 3rd birthday. Grandpa spent a good bit of his morning outside taking the kids on a nature walk and teaching them about the plants and then journaling what they would find. The kids loved it especially since it was with Grandpa! Gabriel doesn't look happy in the picture because he had just gotten hurt otherwise he was loving it!!

A Boys Book List

I want this down somewhere where I won't lose it:

No Carrots for Harry-Jean Langerman (age 2 and up)

The Fire Engine Book-Golden Book (age 1 and up)

Smokey the Bear-Golden Book (age 2 and up)

The Biggest Bear-Lynd Ward (age 2 and up)

Ask Mr. Bear-Marjorie Flack (age 1 and up)

Obadiah the Bold-Brinton Turkle (age 3 and up)

The Boy with the Drum-David L. Harrison (age 1 and up)

The Midnight Farm-Reeve Lindbergh (age 1 and up)

Owl Moon-Jane Yolen (age 2 and up)

Peter and the Wolf-Sergei Prokofiev (age 2 and up)

The Biggest Bear-Adam Relf (age 1 and up)

Curious George-Margret and H.A. Rey (age 2 and up)

The Squire and the Scroll-Jennie Bishop (age 4 and up)

Make Way for Ducklings-Robert McCloskey (age 2 and up)

The Tale of Three Trees-Angela Hunt (age 2 and up)

Who's Making that Noise?-Philip Hawthorn and Jenny Tyler (age 1 and up)

The Steadfast Tin Soldier-Hans Christian Anderson, Illus. Fred Marcellino (age 2 to 3 and up)

Caps for Sale-Esphyr Slobodkina (age 1 and up)

The Tale of Peter Rabbit-Beatrix Potter (age 1 and up)

Lentil-Robert McCloskey (age 2 and up)

A Fish Out of Water-Helen Palmer (age 2 and up)

The Little Engine That Could-Watty Piper (age 1 and up)

Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree-Milne (age 1 and up)

Theodore Mouse goes to Sea-Michaela Muntean (Golden Book) (age 2 and up)

The Little Red Caboose-Marion Potter (age 1 and up)

The Gingerbread Man-Golden Book (age 1 and up)

Doctor Dan the Bandage Man-Golden Book (age 1 and up)

Seven Little Postmen-Margaret Wise Brown and Edith Hurd (age 2 and up)

Mop Top-Don Freeman (age 2 and up)

The Runaway Bunny-Margaret Wise Brown (age 1 and up)

Squanto and The Miracle of Thanksgiving-Eric Metaxas (THIS IS A MUST READ FOR EVERY KID!)

Boys of comfortable reading chapter books: (well, some of these I marked and are just beginning readers)

The Chronicles of Naria (series)-C.S. Lewis

The Matchlock Gun-Walter Edmonds

Runaway Ralf-Beverly Cleary

The Boxcar Children (The series)-Gertrude Warner

Swiss Family Robinson-Johann Wyss

Black Stallion-Walter Farley

Alfred- Janice Udry (not a chapter book but a fun story!)

Blaze Finds a Trail-C.W. Anderson

The Bravest Dog Ever (True Story/Beginning Reader)-Natalie Standiford

Soccer Sam (Beginning Reader)-Jean Marzollo

Wagon Wheels (Early Reader)-Barbara Brenner

The Bears on Hemlock Mountain-Dalgliesh

Treasure Island (Revised for Beginner Reader)-Robert L. Stevenson but adapted by Lisa Norby

The Sign of the Beaver-Elizabeth George Speare

Kidnapped-Robert Louise Stevenson

Abe Lincoln Frontier Boy-Augusta Stevenson (old book but a goodie!)

Wilbur and Orville Wright Young Fliers-Augusta Stevenson

Stormy Misty's Foal-Marguerite Henry (series of good books about horses)

Augustus Helps the Navy-LeGrand

Noah Webster A Man Who Loved Words-Elaine Cunningham (A Beka book)

Farmer Boy-Laura Ingalls Wilder

More to Come!!

My Little Don Quixote

"he was spurred on by the conviction that the world needed his immediate presence."--Cervantes in Don Quixote

That quote fits my little Ross!! He believes the world needs his immediate presence and we do!! Lately, when I am vacuuming the house Ross gets out his sword and enthusiastically attacks the vacuum THE WHOLE time I am vacuuming. The first time he did it when I stopped vacuuming he kept attacking it even with it turned off . . . when it fell over and I picked it back up he said "IT CAME BACK ALIVE!" and continued in his attack. I thought as I was vacuuming what will it be like when the kids are grown up and there is no little one to make even the mundane exciting!

Today, he did this attacking the vacuum again and I ran away from him in a teasing way so he would chase the vacuum little did I know the amusement I was giving the water repairmen that could watch us outside the door but I couldn't hear their knocks at first!!

So Ross doesn't attack windmills but vacuums.

"I sometimes think that all you tell me of knighthood, kingdoms, empires and islands is all windy blather and lies"---Sancho in Don Quixote

Yep, I probably follow after Sancho in my realist world but it is fun to hear the fairy tales my children have up in those young minds!!

First Instinct

A few weeks back Carson had to be rushed to the Emergency Room. When I first saw the situation he was in I immediately got very worried and anxious. Yes, I did start working to help the situation BUT my reaction was not to pray and call upon my Heavenly Father for help as I was working to help. Gabriel and Annalina (without Babe and I saying anything to them) went into a room and started praying.

I want them to live their whole lives with that sensativity to take burdens to the Lord. When I returned home from the hospital and they found out Carsons' sight was was going to be ok. They said "we prayed he wouldn't go blind".

Bearing Burdens

This morning Gabriel called me to ask a question as he was working on school. He has to memorize a verse (or portion of a verse) for each subject. He called me and said in one it said "bear ye one another's burdens" and another verse he had to memorize said "let every man bear his own burdens"!! and he said "so which one is it?!! I could have talked to him about it but Babe is much better at explaining things clearly than I am. Anyway, he found out the greek word was different the one that says bear each other's burden meant "human frailities" and own burdens basically came down to personal responsibility. I am glad Gabriel is thinking about what he is studying.

I am so happy with the ACE curriculum in that it FOCUSES on Christian Character. I have never seen a curriculum like it. Annalina in her studies really picks up on it and I am THRILLED. She analyzes the stories to pick up on what is being taught. She and I have had good discussions because of the curriculum!! Also, in Gabriel's grade he does not read Bible stories put in children's words instead he is reading through the book of John and then doing worksheets as he works his way through it!! I think that is GREAT!!

Marina Equestrian Day

The Marina Equestrian Assoc. has a day every year where the public can come and get free pony rides, hay rides, carriage rides, play in a bounce house, get a face painting, and go to the petting zoo. The kids loved it and we will definitely try to be back next year!

Gabriel and Annalina rode the ponies. Gabriel rode on Snickers and Annalina got to ride on Twinkie! We liked there names. A better name for Gabriel's would have been Reeses since that is his favorite candy!

Marina Equestrian Day Continued

More fun at the Marina Equestrian FREE DAY!! I love the picture of Ross with the rabbit!

Marina Equestrian Day Continued

The kids absolutely LOVED, LOVED the petting zoo area. There were chickens, goats, rabbits, and ducks to chase around and hold.

Another Calvin and Hobbes Moment

Last night we put the kids in the car and drove to Costco and realized we had forgotten something and put the kids right back into the van with Ross, of course, going right back into his car seat. I heard him say to Annalina "There taking us to another cage, Home." I am sure he was pretending something but I thought it was histerical!! Babe and I have thought Ross was like Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes which Babe and I are big fans of the comic. We have ALL the Calvin and Hobbes comics in 3 volumes. One I read a few weeks ago that made me think of Ross was when Calvin made snowmen in a circle with picket signs in their hands protesting rules of his father. It made me think of our dear Ross. We love Ross DEARLY and I know he loves his parents DEARLY but he is an interesting one that is for sure and that makes it all the more fun.

Even More Sun in Fallon!

Gabriel and Annalina planted these seeds while their Daddy was deployed. One day after school they went out to plant. I didn't think anything would come up. What a pessimist for a mother it reminds me of the Kraus book that schools have kids read about planting a seed and no one in his family thinking it would grow but in the end he got a big carrot. The kids really enjoyed watching these Sunflowers grow and how perfect that we were able to see them bloomed before we moved!!

Carson at 4 months old--Monterey, CA

Nope, he is still not rolling over!! Maybe he'll keep with his brothers way of rolling over on the 7's. Ross rolled over at 7 days and Gabriel at 7 weeks maybe he'll be 7 months!!! Actually, he is REALLY close being able to role over from back to front he can roll from his back over enough to put both knees on the floor!! He just needs to pop over the top of him anyway more importantly he is sleeping through the night!!

He Really IS Listening . . . 3 examples!

Today Annalina was trying to do something for Ross and I heard him say very calmly and politely . . . "Annalina thank you for trying to help me but I want to do it myself." WOOOOOOWWWWWWWW, WOOWWWW, HE IS LISTENING and LEARNING!!! YAHHHHH!!!!

Last night as the kids were going to bed Annalina got scared, which is not usual for her, but Ross said very matter of factly a few times "God is with you Anna".

A few days ago Annalina had done something bad to Ross and Ross said "Do to others as you would have them do to you" (I was surprised he said this AND surprised he said it correctly!) Anyway, he said it over and over and over and over again which really ticked off Annalina!!! She looked at him and said "You don't know the half of it!!!" I thought that was histerical!!! Ahh, growing up with siblings!

I Kings 3:11-12

"And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgement; behold, I have done according to they words; lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart."

Singing the BLUES!!!

We found out that Carson is not big on singing! When one of us would start to sing (any song) he would get a poochy lip and then start to cry! AND just to set the record straight we also put on a CD of a professional and soothing vocalist and he didn't like that either so it isn't just our voices! :-) Then Brian put on the instrumential Paccobel's Canon and he SMILED at Brian and he liked it! So it seems to be singing he is not real keen on! Anyway, these pictures with the poochy lip were taken when I had Brian sing to him so I could take pictures!! It is so pathetically cute!!!

My Little Queen Esther

Today Annalina had to go to the dentist to get two cavities filled. She was so nervous and upset I didn't know how we were going to get her out of the house (she was under the play table), into the dentist office, etc. I asked her what she wanted to do (to help her) and she said "Fast". I laughed and said Annalina we have 3 minutes until Daddy comes there is no time! What a response for a 5 year old. She has been hearing about fasting recently.

When we did get in the car I talked to her about being an Esther and reminded her how Esther went in front of the King and was brave and that when something is what God wants us to do He will help us through it. I prayed and asked for God to help her be an Esther as she went to the Dentist office. I then said if you will be an Esther we'll go to the Dollar Store when were done. I can't say how proud I was of her. She was a COMPLETELY different little girl! She was happy, relaxed, polite, cooperative.

When we walked up to the receptionist she told her about how she was going to be like Queen Esther then she said "I've been thinking about fasting." TOO FUNNY!! When we went back to the dentist and hygenist she talked their ears off "Mommy had lots of cavities when she was little", "My Grandpa went to a dentist that was gentle", "What's that?", etc., etc., etc. She played with the dentist head lamp. Then in between them working on her teeth she got to tell them about Queen Esther being brave when she came in front of the king. As they worked on her a few times she would happily lift her hand up and wave at me. One time in between them working on her teeth she said "I love you Mommy". I wish I had a video tape of her visit she was just the sweetest thing. I couldn't have been more proud. The dentist told me "It doesn't usually go this smoothly". She was so good the hygenist said she was going to give something more than a balloon to Annalina since she had been SOO good. Annalina asked what it was and she said she had to wait until they were done. Annalina said "Is it candy?" Which was hyserical considering she was at the dentist for cavities!!

After we were done she asked if we could go to the Dollar Store just the 2 of us. So we went and the FIRST thing she did was look for something for her brothers. What a sweetie. She got Ross an alligator mask/hat and Gabriel a pirate patch, hat and sword. Ross pretended was the crocodile that ate Captain Hooks hand in Peter Pan and Annalina pretended to be Tinker Bell and went and put on some of her dress up wings.

She told me later she was proud of herself. I said see what can happen when you have God help you? You can do what didn't seem possible. Annalina loves her God and is such a determined little girl. I'm blessed so much by each child I have.

Sacramento Mini Trip-July 6th 2009

We decided to take an overnight trip to Sacramento to take the kids to the Jelly Belly Factory and the Zoo. Unfortunately, a trip that would usually take 2 1/2 hours took us 8 hours due to July 4th weekend! AHHHH!! But we ended up having a good time and we took Gabriel friend with us which the kids really thought was fun!

The Jelly Belly factory was interesting! It was neat to see how the candy is made! The kids enjoyed seeing the robots that worked in the factory. At one place on the tour they had a huge stuffed Jelly Belly Bean riding like a cowboy on one of the robots!