I Apoo* my Brother!

Whatever Sebastian does, Alerina copies . . . .

Sebastian takes a rake, Alerina wants "something" so she can rake!
Sebastian sits down, Alerina sits down as well!
Sebastian sings, Alerina sings.
Sebastian screams, Alerina screams.
Sebastian runs, Alerina runs.
Like I said . . . whatever Sebastian does, Alerina does as well!

It's really cute to see them together :o)

*Definition of Apoo = Love (After a kiss on the lips, Alerina says Apoo to you)

The Start of Summer

Saturday, May 31 was Cedar Rapid's official day that summer-swimming season starts. All the city park's pool opens to the public that day. It was a perfect 82 degrees that day so we celebrated the beginning of summer by taking the kids to one of the parks (there's 6 of them out here) to go swimming.

The place was AMAZING . . . . . . it's not like the public swimming pool parks in LA . . . . . . these parks are like a "mini-version" of a water park. Seriously, there are slides, there is a water playground thing, tons and tons of beach chair to lay on, there's a concession stand selling food, sand box to play in, the pool had a beach-like entry so it was great for the kids . . . . . . I'm telling you . . . "Mini Water Park!!!" and what's even greater is that it only cost $4 per person - can't complain about that :o)

Even though we stayed so only an hour, the kids had a GREAT time . . . . . . we can't wait to try out the other swimming pools !

Here are pictures of Alerina modeling with her new bikini before we left for the pool . . . .

Vacation Pictures

Our First Road Trip

2 weekends ago we took a road trip to Columbus, Ohio. We were there to go to James' birthday party and hang out with the family. It was a 3 nights/4 days type of trip. We left Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and got there a little before midnight. It took us 9 hours/15 minutes of driving, 2 rest stops, 3 states over, and a total of 12 hours of traveling all together for us to get there. Let me just say . . . . . it was a loooooooooooooooooooooooooong drive!! After all that time in the car, I've come to realize "I don't think I can ever drive across country . . . . I would go crazy!!"

Anyways, the kids were fairly good during our drive to Ohio. Alerina slept about 7 hours of the 9 hours of driving and Sebastian entertained himself by singing, talking to us, counting the cones/the bridges that we past by, or by just looking out the window. He did get a tad bit antsy at times but for the most part, he was fairly good :o)

James had a birthday party at Chuck E Cheese on Sunday and the kids had a good ol' time :o). The rest of the time we were there, we just hung out and played with the kids. It was a good trip but it was way too short . . . . before we knew it . . . it was time to drive back home.

On the way back, it took us 9 hours and 4 rest stops. One of the stops the kids had a GREAT time because it had a playground in it. We left Ohio about 10:30 a.m. and got home about 9 o'clock.

It's nice to go on vacation from time to time but it's always good to be home :o)

Thank you, Brother and Sister-in-Law for letting us stay with you and showing us around . . . we had a GREAT time ~ see you next time :o)

A Special Birthday Shout Out . . . .

Happy 7th Birthday,

Koko James!

We hope you have a WONDERFUL Birthday!!
Hope it's a Birthday filled with LOTS
of Fun, Games, and Presents :o)

We love you very much!!!

Our anniversary

My hubby and I celebrated our 5 year Wedding Anniversary 2 weeks ago. Can't believe it's been 5 whole years!?!?!? Where do the time go???

Well . . . since it was a special day, I baked him his favorite muffins for breakfast. 2 dozens muffins, 2 loafs, and 2 hours later, he enjoyed them with his coffee :o) After breakfast, we headed out to town with the kids and did some errands. We've been talking about what we wanted to do/where we wanted to eat and so forth for the special day . . . so our plan was to eat at this Italian restaurant, Biaggi's, for lunch. Well, ever since we've discussed it, I thought about the restaurant and I couldn't wait to eat there!

Anyways, the place had a Maggiano's feel to it and like I suspected . . . the food was excellent!!! We had the stuffed mushrooms for appetizer - YUMMO, Hubby had the Chilean Sea Bass with mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach - EXCELLENT . . . the fish was crispy on the outside and tender, moist, and juicy on the inside and importantly, not fishy-like, I had rigatoni with Italian sausage, peppers, and tomato - YUM, and for dessert, we had this banana foster (banana wrapped in crepe with rum/caramel-like sauce with vanilla ice cream) thing - can you say YUM!!!! Well, to our surprise, both kids were super-super great at the restaurant which made the food taste even EXTRA-EXTRA YUMMO!!! This is definitely a restaurant worth coming back to!

Well, like I said earlier . . . . can't believe it's been 5 years!!!! Just wanted to say to my dear Hubby . . . . . "It's been a GREAT 5 years!! Can't wait to see what adventures lies ahead for us in the future ~ with you by my side, I'm ready for anything!! Happy 5th Wedding Anniversary, Honey! Love you very much!"

To all the Mothers out there . . . .

Happy Mother's Day :o) - enjoy this special day!

A mother is a person who seeing there are only 4 pieces of pie for 5 people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. ~Tenneva Jordan

Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible.
~Marion C. Garretty, quoted in A Little Spoonful of Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul

I love my mother as the trees love water and sunshine - she helps me grow, prosper, and reach great heights. ~Adabella Radici

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. ~Washington Irving

One good mother is worth a hundred schoolmasters. ~George Herbert

There's nothing like a mama-hug. ~Adabella Radici

Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs in my field, since the payment is pure love. ~Mildred B. Vermont

The mother's heart is the child's school-room. ~Henry Ward Beecher

All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother. ~Abraham Lincoln

[A] mother is one to whom you hurry when you are troubled. ~Emily Dickinson