Emma's End of Year Festivities

Tuesday was Emma's last day of school.  At the end of school they had an end of year celebration where the kids sang songs to us - it was so sweet and amazing to see how much they have grown and changed this year.

Emma and her friends during the performance.

Emma and her teachers Ms. Heather and Ms. Julie - they are amazing!

Today was the end-of-year party at the spray park where we live.  Emma had a great time playing with her friends and staying cool in the 90 degree weather!  She had a great school year, we are so proud of her.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
- 1 Corinthians 13:4 

Happy Birthday Emma!

Emma turned 4 today.  Hard to believe that my youngest is getting so big and only a year away from kindergarten!  We had a low key day for her as our Disney trip the week before was her "real" celebration.

 Grace was nice enough to help Emma blow out her candles - what a helpful big sister she is!

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

- Colossians 3:14 

Disney Here We Come

While my parents were visiting we thought it would be fun to bring them along on our birthday girls trek to Disneyland.  Since we were already going to be down there, we decided to spend a day in Huntington Beach and then drive home via the famed Pacific Coast Highway.

 Getting ready to have dinner on our first night.

 Emma and Grace with Belle.

 Nana and Papa with Minnie.

 The birthday girls in front of the castle.

 The girls and Mickey.

 Pooh and our gang.

 One of the highlights - meeting Rapunzel and Flynn Rider!

 Grace and Daddy at Huntington Beach.

 Grace and her Papa.

 Chris and I on the pier at Huntington Beach - mainly just for proof I was actually there!

Emma and her favorite guy!

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

- Psalm 23:1 

A Very Happy Mother's Day

When I was in high school I had an exchange student from Thailand named Jiap that I became very close to, like a sister.  I haven't seen her since she flew to New York for my wedding 12 years ago.

This past Sunday, we got to spend the afternoon with her in San Francisco while she is here on a vacation.  What a cool collision of the past and present to have her meet my girls - a very Happy Mother's Day!  The best gift of all to me was that I got to spend my special day with my mom and my baby girls!

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
- Colossians 3:16

Grace's First Baseball Game

Chris has been wanting to take Grace to a baseball game for awhile now and we were waiting for the right venue and a time when my parents were in town to watch Emma for us.

We decided to take her to the Stockton Ports game, a Minor League affiliate of the Oakland A's.

After church we headed to the game.  We left Emma at home with my parents and she had a spa day!

Grace had a great time and might have even caught an inning or two of play!  Our hearts were a bit broken though.  We had been eagerly anticipating a special afternoon with just the three of us, however, Grace being a social butterfly had other ideas.  Shortly after we arrived she spotted a boy from her class and she ended up sitting with him for most of the game - oh no, it is starting already!

Our girl all tuckered out from her first game!

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
- Matthew 5:8

Grace Turns 6!!

Well, we made it to another birthday - Grace is now officially a 6 year old!

 The proud birthday girl and her sister before school.

We let her open a few presents before school, some after, and still a few more when daddy got home from work.

At school she got to wear the special birthday hat (which she wouldn't take off the rest of the day) while her class sang to her - she was in heaven!

My girl blowing out the candle (oops, I only had 1 in the house!) and making a wish.  I love how pensive and deep in reflection she looks!  Making wishes is a big stress to a newly turned 6 year old.

The best gift of all was yet to come when we left for our Disneyland trip a few days later, but more about that in another post!

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us - 
- Psalm 67:1