Kayla's Friend Birthday Party

I am turning 11 soon come CELEBRATE!  

Come join me for a day of fun.  We will go bowling, to Chick-Fil-A and then to my house for a movie.

Brisa, Mckenzie,Maddie, Kayla, Kate, Alexa, Dunya, Meredith

Sean, Emily, Mackynzie and Karyn

It was so fun to watch the girls enjoy bowling and dancing around the bowling alley.

Mack and Emily

The kids were excited to be out on the town.  Sean and I were just glad the mess was going to happen at the bowling alley and at the restaurant.  Of course, we cleaned up as much as we could, but it was nice to not have to clean up after a big party at home.

Kayla yelled, "I LOVE CHICK-FIL-A!" 

Sean said it pays to know the manger at the restaurant.  Sean is a regular there so they were kind enough to bring out the cow for the party.  Kayla told me to write on the invitations.  If you don't want to eat at Chick-Fil-A eat before you come.  However, I didn't and some of the girls preferred a hamburger so Emily and Mack ran over to In-N-Out to satisfy two of the girls who weren't chicken lovers. 

Kayla and all the kids dancing with the Chick-Fil-A Cow!

Who would have thought that dancing at Chick-Fil-A could be so much fun.  

Mackyznie Parry's friend Wil did the honors and lit the candles for Kayla.  Mckenzie McLauglin had a little bit of excitement as her CRUSH was at the birthday party.  She had a good giggle as Wil offered to take a picture with her.  She laughed and ran into the bathroom with the other girls.  Oh to be 11 again and have the right to be so silly.

Well, what do I want to wish for this year?

Wishing hard to make it count for something!

Kayla is grateful for the thoughtful gifts her friends gave her. 

Dunya, Kayla, Mckenzie and Alexa

Meredith made a special blanket for Kayla.

Kayla thought it would be fun to come back to our house for the movie, Horton Hears a Who.  However, it turned out that it was more exciting to go in the backyard and talk around the firepit.  The girls really got along well together and they were wired with all the sugar from the bowling alley and cake.

Martin Luther King Holiday

Sipping ICEES at the Grand Palisades Resort

The girls had the day off so we went with Malisa Searle and her family to the Grand Pacific Palisades Resort and Hotel in Carlsbad.  She has a pass that gives her access into the pool area and it was a beautiful day there.  We can hardly believe it is January.  WOW!  We are loving the weather.  

On our way to the pool we decided to grab some ice for my big mug.   The girls were fine with stopping because they planned on getting a treat.  Well, we had a great laugh at Mackynzie's expense after and during our stop at the gas station.  Mack was trying to fill up a cup with an icee.  Not hard right, well she was having great difficulty and kept staying, "Why is no one helping me?  I need help. Guys I NEED HELP."  I stood back and realized that this is what happens when you have a mother who does TOO much for their kids.  They can't handle putting a lid on an icee.  Kayla and I were just looking at each other and I felt like I was back in the snow at our Snowbird Ski trip, when Mack couldn't get her ski boots on.  Mack's only defense was that she was having great difficulty.  OH MY!!!!!!  I have created a beautiful but helpless kid.  

I love extra days with the girls.

Loving the weather.

What a great blue sky.

We all love Malisa.  She is the one who watched the girls when Sean and I went to Scotland.  It is nice to have good friends around, especially when family is far.

The Superbowl Tradition

The Searle's had us over for the Superbowl game.  We had enough food for ten families, but we had fun munching on it all afternoon.  It was the most exciting game in years - at least the last ten minutes of it was.  It is always great to spend a fun afternoon with good friends, a good game and good food.  

Brian Searle happy to be relaxing.

Sean Parry digging in.

Kayla said, "I am ready to get my ears pierced!"

Kayla woke up ready to have her ears done.

Which earrings are the right one?

Nice and easy.....I think mom was more nervous, but Kayla did look a little scared.

It was hard to know if that dot was in the right spot.  We asked for Sean's opinion and he just shrugged.  I know I have issues.  I wanted her earrings to hang right.  She seemed a little young to get this done.  I mean man, I waited until I was 35.  Okay, I know that is just plain old........

Looks perfect!

Kayla said, "It didn't hurt at all."

On Saturday the 10th Kayla woke up and wanted to get her ears pierced.  Last year Mackynzie told Kayla that she would pay for her to get her ears pierced as her birthday present.  Well, last year we went but Kayla decided it wasn't for her.  At the last minute, she jumped out of the chair and we were out of there with no regrets.

So, when Kayla said she was ready, I told her to think about it for a while and make sure.  Mackynzie was skiing with the Young Women that day and I asked Kayla if she wanted to wait for Mack to be around.  Kayla decided she wanted to surprise her sister instead. She thought that would be a really fun surprise.

Kayla waited all day to surprise Mackynzie with her new earrings.  She decided that she would just not say anything and see how long it would take Mack to figure out she got her ears done.

Around 8:15 pm Mack got home and knocked on the door.  Kayla rushed to the door and the second she opened it I heard, "WOW you got your ears pierced."  We laughed at how it didn't take Mack even a second to figure out Kayla's big surprise. However, the next words were, "Why didn't you wait for me to be there?" So much for surprises...

  

It was a fun day with Kayla and she loves her new earrings.

MACK'S NEW YEAR PARTY

Seeing that school dances at San Marcos High are not quite what they were like for me growing up in Mesa, Arizona, I decided to help Mack make a special night out of the Church New Year's Eve Dance.  Sean and I made a special dinner for Mackynzie and her friends that she invited to attend.

I loved making a special evening fun and fancy for Mack!  She was very grateful for the effort Dad and I made for her.  It is so wonderful to watch your kids grow up!  I just love this year with Mackynzie.  She is a great kid and I am so proud of her efforts in school, basketball, church, piano and friends.

Mackynzie requested my wonderful caesar salad, macaroni (for vegetarian Shannelle), steak and beans for the meat lovers.  Then we had dessert choices being chocolate cake or strawberry short cake.  Sean was in charge of the grill. He took requests for rare, medium or well done. One of the boys wanted his steak almost rare.  It was really bloody.  Not my first choice, but the boys loved the steak.  I got a kick out of watching them all dig in.

It was great to see the kids laugh and really enjoy themselves. 

We had to start without Zack, but he got there later.

Zack, Kip, Chuck, Noel, Shannelle, Emily and Mackynzie

We were laughing as we were waiting for Noel to get meat out of his teeth.  He was working on it pretty hard as you can see in the picture.

Ready to Ring in the NEW YEAR!!

Pictures of loading the kids in the car to the dance.  Emily couldn't make it to the dance, but Mack was glad she could come to the dinner.

Mack's hair got caught on the seat belt.  We were just over crowded for a mile or two.

Vista Church House

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009!!!

Disneyland with the Lopez Family

Shannelle came to stay with us over the holiday break for almost a week and boy did Mackynzie and her plan out a list of activities to conquer.  Shannelle flew out and her family decided to drive over to pick her up over the weekend and hit Disneyland.  Our families met up for the day and really enjoyed each other.  The Lopez Family are great friends of ours and we love being around them.  They moved to Arizona almost a year ago.  Mackynzie has high hopes that one day soon they will return to California so Shannelle can be her everyday buddy again.  Shannelle and Seema seem to believe and agree that they will be back in cooler California soon - that is a positive sign for Mack.  What a happy day that will be.  

Kayla, Sean, Alex, Karyn, Seema, Javier and Alex

Enjoying the day together!

Mackynzie and Shannelle

Kayla looking beautiful as always!

THE WEENIG NEW YEAR PARTY

After Sean and I prepared a nice sit down dinner for Mackynzie and her friends, then drove them to the stake dance, we were ready to ring in the New Year with our good friends.  It was a pajama party, along with the traditional white elephant gift exchange.  We had a great time.  It was fun to spend the evening with some fabulous friends.  

Shayla, Curt, Rob, Rachel, Allison and Karyn

The PJ party was in honor of Allison - who is going through all kinds of tests to find out what the heck is wrong with her.  She has been feeling terrible lately.  The doctors mentioned the big C word "cancer" on Christmas Eve Day.  That was no fun to hear that kind of news over the holidays.  But when would that kind of news be good to hear?  Since that time the doctors have ended up deciding that cancer is probably not the cause of her sickness after all.  Imagine the stress of believing you have cancer for a couple of weeks.  Then imagine the giant relief in the moment the doctors change their minds.  It has been frustrating for her because she still doesn't know what is going on with her body.  Our prayers and thoughts are with Allison.  She is a great example and what a gal to still host a party on New Years Eve!  Nothing holds Allison down long.  What a great time we all had together.

The traditional gift exchange.

Just some of the spoils of the evening.....