How well can you do?

36

So...you've got to think creatively when it comes to the colors. I thought I did pretty good until I realized how many I MISSED!! Maybe I can blame this on being pregnant.

37

I learned all the countries in like 5th grade. I remember knowing ALL of them. And this is how many I can think of? That's scary. I guess geography isn't my best subject!!

Flashback Friday

Today is my (Heather's) 1/2 birthday. Aaron still laughs that I acknowledge this, but it's the halfway point to my next birthday. Since my birthday is in early September, it usually came during the last few days of summer before school started. It was in early morning seminary my junior & senior year where the teacher acknowledged the 1/2 birthdays of the students that had birthdays during the summer so that we could celebrate everyone's birthday. It just sort of stuck with me. I don't expect presents or for anyone to even remember. It's just a fun thing for me.

In honor of my 1/2 birthday, I came across this picture of an actual birthday when I probably turned 6 or 7. I laughed when I saw this picture because it brought back several memories and my obsession with Barbie. I had a Barbie house, a horse, a Corvette, a Motorhome, the Barbie Dream Pool, and I remember having a garden bathtub (that made bubbles) and a studio/office. I LOVED playing Barbies. Most of the big items didn't survive the years of play but I did keep several of my Barbie dolls and most of the clothes, accessories, & furniture. Kaya now loves to play Barbies and has enjoyed playing with all my old dolls. I knew I saved all this stuff for a reason!!

Do you need a haircut??

This is what can be accomplished with kids' safety scissors that can barely cut paper. Kaya decided to give herself a haircut on Sunday. Considering the circumstances, it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been. She came out of her room and I noticed that something didn't look right. I asked her about her hair and she informed me that she needed to cut some of the pieces that were in her eyes. Her hair used to be one length all around the bottom. She did a little bit of layering in the front and on her bangs. With a little bit of blowdrying and barrettes, it doesn't look too bad. I was trying to grow her hair out a little longer for the summer so that we can pull it back in a ponytail. I think we can make this work without a visit to the salon. I only found a few strands of hair while doing damage control, thinking this wasn't too bad. Then a couple days later when we were cleaning her room, I found the rest of the hair in a pile shoved under the bed. All I could do was laugh. I couldn't even be mad at her. I just told her that the next time she thinks she needs a haircut to let me know and we can take her to the kids salon!

I FINALLY joined the club...

My friend let me borrow her copy of TWILIGHT almost 3 months ago. It sat on my shelf waiting desperately to be read. I'm so not into vampires or anything remotely science fiction. However, I LOVE to read and everyone assured me this book was a GREAT read and I just needed to give it a chance. After finally dusting off the cover, I picked the book up and surprisingly read it in 2 days. (Of course the dishes didn't get done and the house was a wreck, but I managed to keep the family fed and still read the book in record time.) I traded in my borrowed copy of book 1 for books 2 & 3. I had all 3 books read in just about 8 days. I shudder to think of all the things I could have accomplished during that time I spent reading. I really demonstrated a serious lack of self control! I guess I just haven't gotten into a good book(s) like that in awhile. I'm looking forward to book #4 in August and I'm interested to see the movie. I saw pictures of the actors for the movie on Stephenie Meyer's website (http://www.stepheniemeyer.com). I was a little disappointed because they weren't quite what I imagined, but isn't that how it usually is? If you haven't read these books yet, find some to borrow or check them out at your local library. You won't be disappointed!!

Flashback Friday - In Memory Of...

Toby S. Luna - AKA "Papa"

April 16, 1932 - February 22, 2007

This week's Flashback Friday is dedicated to Heather's paternal grandfather who passed away one year ago today. Heather was the first grandchild for Papa & Grandma. Heather and her Papa shared a special bond as did each of the grandchildren that followed. Heather's most fond memories of Papa are of going fishing, having sleepovers, receiving special phone calls, and of having Papa be there to support various school and sporting events. Papa was born and raised in Texas until he moved to San Diego and married Grandma. There they raised 5 children, loved 13 grandchildren, and welcomed 4 great-grandchildren before he passed away. Papa was an avid fisherman and golfer. He shared his love of fishing and golfing with ALL of the grandchildren providing them with special memories and an appreciation for the outdoors. As Heather grew older she looked forward to her regular phone calls with Papa & Grandma. No matter how old Heather was, Papa would tell Grandma to turn up the TV and adjust the picture so that he could see how beautiful his grand-daughter was. He did this to all the grandkids but it made you feel special none the less. Heather had the opportunity to spend a week visiting with Papa & Grandma only weeks before he passed away. Even though Papa was very sick, he enjoyed spending time with Kaya and Logan. Heather was grateful for that priceless opportunity. We know that Papa is teaching his future great-grandchildren (3 on the way) where to find the best fish and how to hit the golf ball like a pro. More importantly he is teaching them to be honest, trustworthy, hard-working, dependable, responsible, and loving. He was a great man and we are blessed to have been loved by him.

Kid Friendly Recipes

My kids aren't picky eaters. However, sometimes they're not always interested in what I cook. (Even though they typically like what I make). With Aaron working nights - it's tempting to just make them chicken nuggets and mac n cheese. Since I also need to eat and I cook enough for Aaron to eat for dinner at work the next day, that's not the best option, nor is it the healthiest. So I'm burned out on my recipes and I'd like to find some more healthy kid friendly favorites. What family dinners do your kids love? I'm ready to try some new things!!

Heather's Haircut

Heather decided she couldn't take it anymore and got her hair cut yesterday. She had been growing it out for some time now so that she could get it long enough to donate for "Locks of Love". It had to be at least 10 inches long, however Heather wanted her hair long enough to have the 10 inches taken off without leaving her hair too short. You can get more information on Locks of Love at http://www.locksoflove.org/ - Here are a couple pictures of Heather's new do: