Friday, May 26, 2006

Mini Olympics...Last Ones


For some reason I can only post 4 pics at a time, and actually the way Blogger works my first post appears after this one, but...

Here are the kids from Mrs. Maxwell's room 1C that were running in Zoey's last event, the 400M. The 1st grade girls ran against other 1st grade girls, while the boys ran against the boys.


Zoey and Paige were the only girls from room 1C that ran in this race. They did great!


And they're off!


Crossing the finish line...she's exhausted. She came in third, and is not so sure if she wants to do "distance" running next year. We were all tired, the Mini Olympics were supposed to end at 11:30 and didn't get done until 1PM! Of course Zoey's 400M was the LAST event...

Good Job Zoey...we are SO proud of you!
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Mini Olymipcs St. Paul's


Avery's favorite part of the Mini Olympics was getting a balloon. Actually she got a couple of them, but they either popped or escaped up to heaven. She told me that Jesus and Dewey were having a birthday party up in heaven with the balloons she had let go.


Here is Zoey waiting to do her next event, the High Jump.


As you can see..."High" jump may have been a bit of an exageration.


The High "step over"?

I must say that Zoey did give her all at all of the events, and did a great job. Rob and I were very proud of her.
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Mini Olympics--St. Paul's May 26, 2006


This year was our first experience with St. Paul's "Mini Olympics". This event is for 1-4th graders and comprises MANY events. Some of the ones I saw were the 800, 400, 200, 100 and 50M races, the Jump Rope, the Standing Long Jump, the High Jump, the Softball throw, and many others.


Zoey participated in the standing long jump, and here are a few of her attempts. She did a great job, and I can't believe I could actually catch her in the air (well, let's face it she wasn't in the air that long...)


We also got to see a lot of Zoey's friends participate. We saw Ally Coffin running the 800M (good job Ally!)


We also saw Sara W., Charlotte, Paige W, and most of the girls from my Brownie Troop participating in their events. Everyone did their best and did GREAT.
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I'm SO LOST!!!


Okay, I admit it. I'm totally LOST! My husband has accused me of it. I've spoken to friends at length about it. I'm as Rob would say "addicted" to Lost.

Lost...you say?

Well the TV show, of course.

Here I am with Tanya's sister Mindy and her cousin Venessa at Tanya's home last Wednesday night. Tanya was sitting next to me on the couch. She's a little "Lost" as well... :-) Tanya had invited us all over for a little Lost finale party (thank you Tanya!)

We had SO much fun, and luckily watched the show on Tanya's DVR so we could rewind and rehash interesting parts. Unfortunately this was a Wednesday night, and the show ended at 11PM (even later for us as we had started watching it on the DVR about 9:30). So we didn't get to sit and "analyze" the show...and believe me, there was MUCH to discuss.

Ah well, I guess this just gives Tanya and I a few months over the summer to discuss the details. It was an awesome finale, and I did enjoy every minute of it. Only 3-4 months until the next episode...and counting!

BTW...check it out! Venessa is due with her second daughter in September of this year...and you can barely tell she's pregnant! She just has the cutest little tummy. Congrats again Venessa, and I'm pulling for "Avery Elizabeth" as your name choice. :-)
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Date Night!


Rob and I actually got to go out on a real "date night" on Saturday (May 20). A rare occasion for us, but we always have so much fun. Of course this time we dropped the girls off at Grandma's house, and then decided to drive to Irvine to the Spectrum. This is one of the cool fountains and courtyards at the Spectrum, which is one of the things that makes it so fun. Each courtyard had a unique type of setting and live music playing. Of course because the Spectrum is so packed with cool shops, and even cooler restauraunts, on a Saturday night it is JAM packed with people. After wandering around for a while and running into several hour waits at all of the restauraunts, we decided to take our chances at a small restauraunt some friends had recommended...and also told us was usually not busy.

They were right. We went to the Wild Rabbit and had a wonderful meal, but by the time our food arrived we were the only ones in the restaurant. And the funny thing is, this restaurant is probably 1 mile from my parent's house, where we had brought the girls to stay the evening with Grandma. Well, we got done with dinner late, and the rest of the evening's details are not fit for this blog...hehehe!

Thanks honey for a wonderful date night! I love you!

(By the way, I tried to get Rob to let us have our picture taken by this cool fountain...and he refused! So all I got for the evening was a pic of the fountain...hmmm)
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MY Mother's Day...May 14, 2006


We had a very quiet Mother's Day. Rob and the girls gave me some awesome cards, a "Mom" scrapbook and a gift certificate to the local nail and spa place. THANK YOU FAMILY!


We just enjoyed some family time with Rob's folks, their home is always SO relaxing. I actually got the girls to sit for me for about 2 minutes so I could take some pictures.


Unfortunately, I have about 10 of Avery with this kind of face...actually I think I should make a post dedicated to just that! I have probably over 50 with this kind of a face over the years.


Here is Grandma Henny enjoying her Mother's Day. What Grandma doesn't love some TLC from a grandchild. Zoey loves to give Grandma lots of snuggles.

We will spend next Sunday, May 21, 2006 with MY Mom and Dad at their home in Newport Beach. If only we could be two places at once!
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Saturday, May 13, 2006

Happy Mother's Day--2006!

(I love this picture of my Mom...taken on the cruise in October 2004 after a huge meal as the waiter brought her a huge piece of cake.)

Tomorrow is Mother's Day. And even though this will be my 7th Mother's day as a mother, I still feel like it's all about my Mom and Henny...I haven't been a Mom long enough to deserve too many accolades yet.


My Mom and Henny know what it's all about to be a Mother, and even thought neither one of them still has little ones home in the nest, that "motherhood" gene still seems to be such a very basic part of both of their personalities...just WHO they are. Both of them are in tune with exactly where the little ones are when they are in the house, and rush to worry if they are going up the stairs alone, or doing anything that might be "dangerous". They both always say yes when asked to have "one more cookie" and laugh when I am exasperated and tell them a story of something the girls did that was "naughty".

Between the two of them they have raised 8 healthy children, and have 11 grandchildren. Between the two of them they have lived through over 107 years of marriage. They have both faced severe financial struggles, lived in foreign countries where they did not speak the language, and did all of this while raising human beings to know about the Lord, get good educations, and be ethically and morally sound. They provided food for these children EVERY day, and warm clean clothes and a safe place to rest at night. But more than anything else, they taught these children how to love themselves and others.

I just want to thank these two Mothers on Mother's Day, and let them both know how VERY much I appreciate all of the hard work and sacrafice they have done to raise these children. As a mother myself, I try to model my parenting from what I have learned from my Mother, and I know Rob does the same. How very blessed we are to have been raised by two such awesome women!

I Love You Mom!
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Saturday, May 06, 2006

Count your blessings


Well, today was "one of those days". I didn't feel well all day (believe me, you don't want to know the details), and had to go to a Brownie event that I just didn't feel up to. Pair that with family discussions about plans for my parents care, and a general lack of sleep, I was pretty down today.


And I hate to feel that way. So I thought today I would try and turn that around and focus on some things I am blessed by. And so very grateful for.


These pictures make me think about that. How many things I have to count as blessings. I have two awesome, incredible, beautiful daughters. I have a handsome, loving, caring husband to share my life with. I have two incredible parents, who gave me the foundation and the substance to be a person that values family above all else. I have two siblings that I have so many shared life experiences with, and some tough ones that we will need to lean on each other to get through in the future. I have the most incredible gift of loving, caring, friends. People that I can share my lifes trials and tribulations with, that will listen and give me their shoulder without question. My friends are the family that I have chosen, the ones I can depend on no matter what. This has a value beyond measure, and I cannot say strongly enough what a support these people are in my daily life.


Oh yeah...and don't forget my mutt! He is ALWAYS happy to see me, and gives me warm wet kisses every day. When he flops down beside me on the couch and lets me stroke his soft fur and kiss his big nose, it calms me. Every time. Without fail.

So, even writing this down helps a little, and I realize that how I feel right now is MY choice. I can choose to let myself slide down that slippery slope of depression, and focusing on the stuff that I cannot change, or I can look forward to the positive things, and how powerful those things are. It reminds me that I need to focus on my faith as well, as that has always been such a source of strength for me, and I have a feeling I will need it.

Tomorrow is another day. Posted by Picasa

Friday, May 05, 2006

Another Warren Family Milestone!


So we have reached another family milestone...no more diapers for the Warren family. And after almost 7 straight years (well I did have a few month break before Avery was born) of changing diapers I am kind of surprised to find a mix of emotions. I thought I would just be thrilled to be done with it, but it's funny that a big part of me actually feels a little sad. I guess it's just coming to grips with the fact that there aren't any "babies" in our house any more.

Cisco is very interested in what is going on here...and wondering if he is next to learn how to "go on the big potty..." sorry Cisco!



Okay, I know it might seem a little strange to post about this, but it's "what's happening" around our house right now, and I have been interested in documenting our everyday lives right now. I hope in 20 years from now the girls (and myself) can look back on this and enjoy seeing what our lives were like...way back in 2006.


We are very proud of you Avery Rose! You are becoming such a big girl! (You'll always be MY baby though, no matter what!) Posted by Picasa

Monday, May 01, 2006

Take Us Out to the Ballgame--Go Angels!

We took the girls to Avery's 1st Angel's game last week on Tuesday night. It was awesome, and the girls had so much fun. We even had hot dogs and Cracker Jacks for dinner. Unfortunately the Angels lost to Detroit, but came back to win the next day. Zoey even got her picture up on the big screen...holding her foam finger and waving her Rally Monkey. Thanks Uncle Hoover for the tickets...we had a blast! Posted by Picasa

Bubbles and Hats at Bea's

The girls had so much fun in Bea's yard. They had a ball to kick and play with, bubbles to blow, and of course some of Bea's cute hats to model for Mommy...who couldn't get enough pictures of them. Here are some of my favorite. Posted by Picasa

Easter At Bea's

So this is just one more thing I'm trying to learn about blogs...and that is how to post more than 4 pictures in one post. I'm sure it has something to do with picture size...I just need to research it. Until then, I will post several blogs about our trip, so I can include all of the pics. Here is Rob and Joe at the Pinnacle Country Club, where Bea took us to a beautiful lunch one afternoon. We met the other members of the "Alpha Team"...a group of really cool ladies and from what I hear some awesome realtors. Don't think there wasn't quite a bit of conversation about what we could get for our money house-wise if we moved to AR! It's tempting...it is so beautiful here.
Here are Rob and I standing about in the same spot.
I just love this picture of Rob and Bea, enjoying a fine wine and cooking together.
Here are the girls, also at Pinnacle. They thought the bathrooms were the most incredible thing they have ever seen...because there was a Jacuzzi in them! Wow! Posted by Picasa