My Princess if 4!

My cute little princess turned 4 last week. She really has been an absolute joy for all of us. None of us can imagine life with out her. She has so many funny lines that I always have something funny to tell Dave when he gets home at night. For example...I went shopping for her birthday the day before. I got her a little bike with training wheels because my parents neighbor's have one and she always loves to ride and tell me "it's just my size!" Anyway, I brought it home and hid in my closet and shut all teh doors, thinking I would move it somewhere better hidden later. Well, that afternoon, I caught her coming out of my bedroom. I kept asking her where she had been to the constant answer of "nowhewe." She did finally admit that she had been in my room, but just in my "bafwoom." When I asked what she ahd been doing in there she finally looked at me and as she sternly used her and as she spoke, she said, "Mom, I dust didn't see da bike." I had to turn around walk down the all right away because I just coudn't keep a staight face for that!

When she woke up in the morning, both her big sisters made her special crowns for her big day.

(with L)

with CK

We had a special party with some friends in the morning. She was so excited for this big moment. Here are all the kids enjoying a hot dog lunch.

My Brother's little boy and my sister's little girl really look so much alike! I just had to get a picture of these 2. They really could pass for siblings instead of cousins.

My darling little nephew Brys just had to jump in the picture too. This kid all smiles, all the time. He has such big dimples they look like they go straight through from one cheek to the other!

Posing with the cupcakes.

Presents:

My cute little nephew, Brody, wanted to give hre a bag full of snacks. Hew as very specific about this particular box of Jello Pudding because she would love it so much. She really was excited about it and had so much fun making it.

Of course, our little angel was so cute running around the whole time. This was the first time she tried drinking out of a cup and she quite liked it. She just through away her sippy after!

So... my cupcakes...

I have really had fun lately making cupcakes. I made a nice little variety since we had this party in the morning, than a big family party that night. I decided they deserved plenty of photographic homage..

White flowers

Mini-Stawberry Bundt with a Vanilla Glaze

Chocolate Peanut Butter

A Tower of Cupcakes

Vanilla Swirl

Purple Flowers

Ok...back to the celebrations:

We had a big family party that night. It was lots of fun. KL shares a birthday with my cousin Shannon. Shannon was kind enough to let us do a joint party. I loved it because we got to have my aunt who was in town, my Grandpa 1 last time before going up to Utah for the summer, some of my cousins, including 1 who is justa bout to move to Virgina (which I'm still in mourning about, but I know it will be a great experience for her and her family!). Anyway, we had a simple dinner, than moved on to presents.

Just another quick funny story about my funny little girl. I ran to go and pick up the sandwiches before dinner. As I was unloading the car, KL asked what it was for. I told her it was for her birthday party. She said, "But I awweady had my biwfday." I said, "This is for another party, remember?" Her eyes got really big and she looked at me and said, "Am I tuwning 6 today, too?!?!"

A new Tangled t-shirt from Mariana

The 2 birthday girls:
Shannon and KL

Blowing the birthday candle with their cupcake

My cousins' 2 little babies (Brynlee and Quinn) who are just a few weeks apart and A.

A really liked Quinn's hat.

Girl's Night

On the last day of school, my dad took the boys on their annual camp out. In their absense, my mom decided to host a girl's night. It started early when she picked up the girls and took them over to their house where they spent all afternoon cooking and getting ready. All the granddaughters but 2 of the babies were able to be there. It was a fun.

Here is A and Ava

All the little girls with their Grammy. My 2 little ones had been fighting, that is why they look so happy!

Notice how nice the table looks---goblets and everything!

The little girl's table (with A stealing some of Ava's food in the background)

After dinner, my mom took the little girls over to see the kittens next door.

We had a delicious Trifle that L was primarily for. She is looking so happy here because she was pouting that she was told we couldn't take home one of the adorable kittens.

Happy Mother's Day

I had a great mother's day this year. I was really spoiled. Among a lot of other things, Dave and the kids picked out this beautiful dress for me. I love it! I love being a mom. I can't think of anything in the world I would rather be doing with my time. It is a blessing every day to get up and see all these wonderful little faces. I wouldn't trade my life for anything in the world. Thanks for making my me feel so special, guys! I love you!

A TEENAGER!!! WHAT!?!?!

When did my baby boy get old enough to be a teenager? Aren't only older people suppose to have kids that old? Isn't amazing how relative time really is and how fast it can fly? It really does feel like I blinked a few months ago, and my itty bitty little guy turned into who he is today. He really is a good kid, even though we may sometimes butt heads. I know that he really does want to do what's right, and I couldn't be more proud of him!

While I was out visiting few friends a couple of months ago, I found these PJ's and thought it was so funny that they would make them for someone his size. My friend and I laughed so hard. He has yet to wear them.

His favorite kind of cake---Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

Holding one of his adoring little sisters who was mesmorized by the candles.

San Francisco

Dave had the opportunity to argue a case in front of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals last month. He has had a couple of cases that have gone before the court-1 that had oral arguments, and 1 that was just decided with out hearing arguments. The one that had oral arguments was argued by his boss, and those arguments were heard at ASU, but later had an "en bunk" (sp) where they got to go to San Francisco to argue. Still, this was a really big deal because Dave got to present the case and make the argument. He did a great job, despite 2nd guessing himself the whole way home. He was well prepared and it showed. I went with him for the quick trip. We were only there for a couple of days, and Dave spent the whole time preparing. I had planned to spend most of the time quietly reading in the hotel room, but actually we were staying right in the center of Union Square and I would stand at the window and look at our amazing view and see all the places I would love to go shopping...so that's what I did.

Our first night, there was a game Giant's game. Those bright lights are the stadium. It was really fun to sit and look at our view.

This picture should be funny to anyone who has ever watched "What's Up Doc" with Barbara Striesand (namely, my sisters)

Trolley car...

Dave wanted to go down to the courthouse the day before. It really was an amazing building. The details and workmanship were amazing. This building is more than 100 years old. We ran into a lady who worked there and she said that during the 1989 earthquake, some of the plaster from the ceiling fell down so it had to be replaced, but no one was complaining because it had gotten really gross and dirty since people had once been allowed to smoke inside.

I really like this picture because you can see this long hallway and all the little archways. Each arch in the ceiling had the same detail as the picture above.

A closer look at the ceiling detail.

This is inside the courtroom that Dave and his boss argued in the first time they were there.

The 2nd courtroom. (there are 3 total. We didn't get to take a picture of the one he argued in because that is the one that was in session when we were there.)

Each of the doors (and there were literally hundreds of them) had this level of detail

All 3 floors had these mosaic tiles. They were all hand placed. I really can't imagine how long it must have taken. The previously mentioned lady who we talked to who worked there said these were the original floors.

A little bi closer look. You can see a crack in the floor. There were a few of these (from the earthquakes?) but it was still so beautiful.

While I did spend a lot of the time out walking around (and going shopping since we were right in the center of Union Square), Dave spent nearly all of his time here--in the room at the desk working.

The morning of the argument...

Outside the courtroom just after his argument

Inside a little office/library they have for attorney's arguing at court.

They had this amazing mosaic on the ceiling of the attorney's room.

Outside the Courthouse.
(it really did strike me how small the entrance was for such an amazing building. It just looks like a door over on the corner of the building.)

At the Port of San Francisco. We had a couple of hours after the argument before we had to leave for the airport, so we decide to take a quick ride down to the water for lunch. This is the only sightseeing that Dave got to do. :)

It was a fun quick trip and I was glad I was able to go watch my man shine. Also... Happy Birthday, Dave! You are wonderful and I love you!