Amusement...Parks!

This week was strange... mainly because our week was busier than usual... and I think it's the first time that I've taken the girls to the amusement park twice in one week!

The first one was a complete surprise and blessing! We were planning to visit a friend that is visiting from Korea in San Diego.. then my neighbor/friend told me she had four tickets to Legoland that was going to expire at the end of the week.  The girls have never been to Legoland and they have recently been really into playing with Legos.. so I knew they would love it! We ended up going on Tuesday with our friend (and her baby boy)...and it was SO much fun!  Legoland is such a great place for little ones.  And the girls LOVED spending time with Auntie L and baby J!

On Thursday we went to California Adventure for a birthday celebration.  We almost didn't go because Big Sister had a fever...but since it was for one of Biggest Sister's closest friends, Bryant stayed home with Big Sister (which she loved) while I took the other two girls.  I have never seen California Adventure so packed (because of spring break) but the kids got to go on several rides, watch a few shows and spend time with each other... so it turned out to be a great day! Big Sister was happy when we came back home...but I think she really enjoyed one-on-one time with Daddy and having the freedom to do/play with whatever she wanted at home! ;)

These Moments.

The other day, I caught Littlest Sister trying on Biggest Sister's pink shoes.. It was so fun watching her, trying so hard to put them on.  I took a ton of pictures during the process, because these moments are so precious and priceless yet so easily forgotten...

I love the curiosity, the persistence.. and the happy celebration dance when she conquered her mission. :)

Birthday Celebration.

Bryant turned 37 on Thursday! We celebrated as a family that day.. the girls and I made him a special breakfast, baked a birthday cake, and prepared for him his favorite dish for dinner. His birthday gift.... well, his birthday gift I told him that "it was coming and he had to wait."  Little did he know, that I had made reservations at the Blue Bayou in Pirates of the Carribean (a restaurant that he has been wanting to go) and asked my good friend to come watch the girls for us while I took him on a surprise date to Disneyland!

The plan worked.. sort of.. As always, he figures something is up when I try to surprise him...but he had NO idea what I was going to surprise him with. ;) I asked him to meet me at a parking lot after work on Friday, and showed up BY MYSELF with sneaks and jacket for him! He was surprised indeed. Yay!  Although we had to practically jog all the way to the restaurant (to make it to our reservation time), then had to wait half an hour (because they accidentally skipped us)... we still enjoyed a nice relaxing evening by the creepy swamp/pirates ride. Yes, it was creepy and awkward to me (boats full of people were staring at us and taking photos while we ate), but he enjoyed it and finally fulfilled his curiosity about this restaurant.. so I was happy. :)

The birthday celebration continued on (day 3) with a fun evening with very good friends at a local antique mall. We had dinner, then got gelato.  We could have sat, talked and spent the whole evening with our friends..but we all had children/babysitters to go home to... But it was such a blessed time.. We are so thankful for our friends that love and care for us and our family.

On a side note.  Biggest Sister (out of the blue) this past week decided that she wants to make a book for daddy.  She ended up making two fabulous books, one called "Daddy as a Little Boy" and "Daddy and His Pet Cat Perla" which she gave to him for his birthday.  She thought of and wrote out the whole story and drew pictures for each page (she asked me to spell each and every word) ... We've got a very creative (and thoughtful girl) over here... ;)  She has also been really into drawing...more so than she has ever been... This photo below is one she drew of Jesus, herself and her two little sisters. :)

Turning Three!

 We got over our cold just in time for Big Sister's birthday! She turned three yesterday, and today we had a small "rainbow" birthday celebration with family and good friends! Big Sister has been SO excited about turning three...and Biggest Sister was just as excited to celebrate with her.

Big Sister requested a cake just like the one from the book, "The Gardener" by Sarah Stewart. 

It was supposed to rain on her birthday, so we thought it would be fun to do a RAINBOW theme. 

Our very good friends visited us all the way from San Diego.

Bryant and I got married in their backyard 7 years ago... when they were teeny tiny...

Now one is a recent college graduate and the other is a senior in high school!

More friends and family joined us later in the day... and we had a great time! 

Big Sister was just happy to eat her BIG piece of cake...and to open (of course) her birthday gifts! 

Here are a few mobile photos of Big Sister from this past year...

This last one always makes me SMILE. :)

We love you SO much!! 

Thank you for bringing so much joy into our lives with your infectious smile, laugh and personality!

We are thankful to God for you and pray that He will bless you all the days of your life!!