BIRTHDAY GIRL IN CALIFORNIA

    "A smile can brighten the darkest day."

Today our Grace Yan Cui is 8 years old.  I wish we could be spending   
the day with her, but it just wasn't possible.  They are having a party today, so I know she is having a great celebration.

We sent shopping when we were in CA in July.  She showed me a few things that she wanted for her birthday.  I hope they arrived in time for today!

She is such a beautiful, smart little girl.  I wish I could spend more time with her.

Oh my, she loves to play games.

Being a big sister to four brothers is hard work!

A strawberry lover, just like her Mam!

Loves the beach!

Did I ever tell you that she loves to shop!

Climbing a fallen redwood tree.

My girl loves to do so many things.  She recently finished soccer camp.  Playing in the goal is her favorite spot.  She likes tennis, is a great swimmer, learning to golf, taking Chinese lessons,sew, cook, play the piano, gymnastics, loves to read and loves school.

Happy Birthday sweet girl!  Love you and miss you so much.

One Dozen

"Life is a flame that is always burning itself out, but it catches fire again every time a child is born."

Yes, we are having grandchild #12 in February!  As always, I am so excited for a new addition to our family.  Troy and Bethany are expecting this angel on February 14th.  My birthday is the 11th, so I might have  a wonderful gift this year.

The told us on our vacation in June and it has been a very hard secret to keep!  The girls, Camryn and Sadie, are so excited. They are telling everyone.  Most times they want a sister, but a few times it has been a brother.  We will find out on September 1 and I will be letting you know!!!

                         
                     Sadie is 2 1/2.

Camryn is 6 1/2.

A Birthday for SAMUEL

                          "Children make life important."


   We did FT with Samuel today to wish him a Happy Birthday.  His birthday is tomorrow and he will be getting lots of calls tomorrow, so we decided to be a day early.  He is getting so big and will be in first grade this year.  He just completed a week of soccer camp.

    He also loves baseball.  We were there in the spring for his first baseball practice.

  He was participating in a basketball camp when we were there in July.  I guess he loves most every sport there is.  He also swims, golfs and plays tennis.

   Anyway, Happy Birthday Samuel!  We love you and miss you so much.  Looking forward to November when you will be traveling to Pennsylvania.

Another "Gotcha " Day

"NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH A WILLING HEART"

May 26, 2008 was the day that Gracie joined our family.  I will never forget how my heart was pounding as we entered the building. 
I can remember Jake saying, "There she is"!  She looked just like the pictures were had seen of her - so tiny - so beautiful!

Since I have so many problems using this computer, I will just post some pictures of her over the last couple years.

Love my girl and can't wait to see her on July 9th!!!

They Are Coming Home for Christmas

        "A family is one of natures's masterpieces."

Our California family is coming to Pennsylvania.  This hasn't happened for a few years and all of 

us are excited.  It will be so nice having everyone together celebrating instead of using FT.

The older kids gave us their Christmas List when we were visiting in California in October.  Gracie and I went shopping so she could show me some things she wanted.  However, I haven't been able 

to find them in PA.  I promised her that the next time I come for a visit we will get them.  She will be surprised with the things we have for her.

All of the PA cousins are excited and planning sleepovers.  I hope we get the time to do it.

The CA kids are hoping it snows big time!  The don't remember what it's like or how cold it is.

I don't like snow at all, but I hope is snows just for them!  We send them pictures and videos when it snows in PA.  They are mesmerized by them.

I am sure this little guy will be tearing around when they come.  He was just learning to walk when 

we were in CA.

We won't be outside with bare feet either!  I think they will be surprised how cold it really gets.  

My "Enchilada" was cold one day when it was 70 and he needed to go inside and put on long pants.

We just laughed because we were in shorts and bare feet.

It is going to be a very special Christmas for all of us.  Let's just hope that everything goes as planned.

Little Falcon's Soccer Camp

"Best friends don't necessarily have to talk every day.  The don't even need to talk for weeks.  But when they do it's like they never stopped talking."


Cali and Camryn are cousins and best friends.  They truly love each other and have the best time together.  This summer, they went to the Little Falcons Soccer Camp together.  It was just in the mornings for little kids ages 5-8.

They were on the same team, so that made it all the more fun for them.  Wherever Cali was on the field, Camryn was close behind.

Camryn did such a good job learning the new skills.  She was probably the youngest at the camp, just turning 5 in June.

Cali was a goal scoring machine.  She has older brothers, so she didn't let anyone push her around.

They were on TEAM  USA, extra fun because of the World  Cup.

AND . . . every single day, their sisters came to watch.  Chloe got up early every morning to go along on the hour trip.  I think she loves Messiah as much as we do.  Cali and Camryn had the same coach as Chloe did the week before.  She was such a good role model.

This was the last day of camp, pictured with their coach.

I know they are looking forward to next summer and another camp!

SOCCER SATURDAY

"Don't forget that your spirit-twinkle makes life's  rainbows shine bright."

One of my favorite things to do on a Saturday is go to soccer games.  We have been doing it for years!  This year is Cali's first year.  She is in kindergarten and on the same team as her second cousin, Bella.

Cali is the one in the blue.  I think she was using her arm to push the other player off the ball. She usually plays very well, except it was hot, and she wasn't really going to the ball.

SO, her daddy, who is the high school coach, had a few words with her at halftime.  They must have been magic words, because she played awesome the second half.

She and Bella usually hang pretty close to each other on the field.  If one of them are on the bench resting, they always cheer for eachother.

She is a busy little girl.  On Mondays after school, she has riding lessons, followed by soccer practice.  Wednesday evening is dance lessons and Thursday is once again soccer practice.  PLUS, she goes to Cole, Carter and Chloe's games.   CAN'T forget her daddy's games at the high school.  Good thing they live a stones throw from the soccer field .

This new computer drives me nuts.  I just can't seem to get used to it, as you can see by the difference sizes of print.  Hope it soon starts going better.