The 4th of July 2009

We started the day off with the 5K Freedom run here in Ladera. My dad, sister Shaina, and I ran together. It was the second year we've done it, and it was so much fun. We later visited with Justin's family and then headed over to the local festivities. Jonathan and Kate really enjoyed the face painting, inflatables, and music. We met up with some friends of ours- Chris, Sarah, Luca, and baby Elsa. I got to attend Elsa's birth as their doula! The kids loved the fireworks. Kate kept saying "nother one pop!" when each firework went off. She especially liked the sparkly ones. Jonathan said once "that startled me!" Good word use! Their faces looked so beautiful lit up by the fireworks. Justin and I got to hold them while we watched the show. Another great memory!

How They've Grown Part 2

Hooray for Maribeth Graduating!!

Maribeth graduated from Biola with a degree in Biology. We are so proud of her and had a great day celebrating. That same evening, we had the first event for Away to Help, the non-profit Justin helped form. Pastor Johnson and his dear wife Betty, from Uganda, were here for the event. They are truly the most amazing and inspiration people. Check out the website for more information on Away to Help.

Super Cute Pics

Loving this time of year

We are really enjoying our garden right now. We've harvested a total of about 25 strawberries; all very tasty (according to Jonathan and Kate). I love cutting our beautiful roses and placing them in tiny vases around the house. It really brightens our home. Unfortunately, the green beans got eaten and the carrots are struggling- we'll have to work on that next year. Oh, and the mint grows SO quickly. We have to keep cutting it back. It smells and tastes so great. I love to look at things through my children's eyes. Childhood and wonder are so magical. Growing things at home gives them pride and great excitement!

Quote from Kate

Tonight we did a short family prayer. I asked each child to say something they were thankful for. Kate's response (said with a big smile), "Daddy.....Chocolate!" Yes, that's right. We all laughed.

A few pictures from Kate's party

Kate Noel is 2!

Kate- we love you so much!! Happy, Happy Birthday!! We love watching you grow.

Cute pics

This kicks off Kate's Birthday Week!! Kate- you are so strong, determined, tender, and full of smiles. We love you SO much.

Out of the OC

I planned a little day trip for us. This was to be the highlight of Jonathan's spring break. He has been counting down the days until train time. We rode from Laguna Niguel to Oceanside. Loved that view! We walked down the pier to Ruby's and had an early dinner. Everything went so smoothly... until we realized we had very little time to get back to the train station! We rushed back only to learn that our train (the last one from Oceanside) had been taken off the track and they were sending a bus to take us home! Yes, they sent an Orange County bus and we rode it back to Laguna Niguel. Thankfully, the rush hour traffic wasn't too bad. This was an all out transportation experience for Jonathan and Kate. They really liked it. I couldn't understand why Metrolink thought a bus was an acceptable substitution for a train.

Easter!

This year was an especially fun Easter weekend- full of multiple egg hunts, church with good friends, and time with family. My parents gave Jonathan and Kate each a big ball to bounce on (the kind with a little handle on the top); "Hoppy Easter!" they said. Kate is insistent on doing it herself, although her legs don't really reach the ground. Yikes. However, both kids love the balls. My dad, sisters, and I went on a run together. We visited with the Easter Bunny at a local park. Justin's parents hosted a big family lunch and Jonathan "played" some football with the boys in the street. Jonathan and Kate had far too many treats today- we'll have to balance that out the rest of the week! We're all tired, but happy, and so thankful for what Jesus did for us!

What are we up to?

We are all recovering from being sick. Pinkeye, colds, ear infections... However, Jonathan and Kate have really been enjoying playing together. Hide and go seek, dress-up, spinning in circles... they are great playmates most of the time. Kate is really growing. She now sits in a big chair at the dinner table and we all four hold hands to pray. It is a cool moment every time. I have been sensing great family bonding lately! Kate can say Jonathan's name very well (it sounds like "Donthen") and she constantly asks about him if he is not right next to her. Jonathan has been wrapping presents (random toys around the house) on his own and giving them to Kate or our neighbors. What a fun stage we are in. I am planning Kate's 2nd birthday party!

Jonathan's Birthday

Well, this post is long overdue. Jonathan had an amazing party here at home. The highlights were our local firefighters bringing the truck to our house for the kids to explore (and even ride on!), and a big bounce house that perfectly fit in the backyard. I loved how the sunshine filled the bounce house. We all had so much fun that day! On his actual birthday, we went to Disneyland and had breakfast with some of the characters and played in the park. It was a wonderful memory for all of us. Jonathan enjoys being four. This is obvious because whenever he masters something new, he says "it's because I'm four now".