Memorial weekend BBQ

I had a fantastic time with some of my close friends and friends from work yesterday. The BBQ started at 2pm and people trickled in until about 4:30, which is when Ricky (THANK YOU RICKY!!!) took care of all the BBQing. We had chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs and especially for Josh we had STEAK!!!!!!

There were about 15 kids here (no joke) and they all had a blast playing on the swing set, in the bouncy house that Heather and Joe let us borrow (THANKS!!!) and in the two pools that were set up. My white little kids even got a bit of a tan :).

Things settled down about 6 and a handful of people started heading home, espeically those who had to drive home to Issaquah (thanks Lauren!). we sat outside and just talked and watched the remaining few kids who were here, run around and play. Still playing in the pool at 6pm (FREEZING!) It got to where I had to go upstairs and get sweatshirts for everyone, and then around 8 we all ventured inside. I now have a strong desire to put a fire pit in my backyard and have many more BBQ's (you in dad?!?!?)

Ricky and taylor headed over to Ricky's house to get some board games (because mine are lame, seriously lame!)and we ended up playing battle of the sexes. The girls won!!! Steph and the koza's left about 11pm and Rosemarie, Little Armando, Brooke, David, and chelsey stayed until about 1am.

I had a blast and can't wait to do it again, I'm thinking my birthday weekend I'll do another one.....

Augie's 3rd birthday party

The kids had a blast on Saturday at their friend Augie's 3rd birthday party. They played for hours in the bouncy house and ran around in the yard. I even caught both boys using trikes and PEDDLING on them instead of using their feet along the ground. Barbara, Augies's mom got a FABULOUS cake from Haggens and I almost ate myself sick.

Here are some pictures from the party:

Please pray for my mom

About a year ago, my mom was diagnosed with sjogrens syndrome, which is a chronic autoimmune disease in which people’s white blood cells attack their moisture-producing glands. Today, as many as four million Americans are living with this disease.

Until recently, the only "complication" my mom had from the sjogrens was constant (and annoying and uncomfortable) dry mouth. And she dealt with it well, as uncomfortable as I imagine one would be with a constantaly dry mouth, she never once complained about it and just walked on.

She went into the doctor about 2 months ago complaining of shortness of breath, and when they took her oxygen levels they were only at 80% (96% or higher is normal) and they immediately put her on oxygen. She was also given a cpap machine at night to help with her breating while sleeping.

Needless to say, her oxygen saturations alarmed the doctors and they started running a lot of test on her, EKG, CT, blood draws and a number of other tests I can't recall right now. She was put on some new medications, on of them being the steroid prednisone. Prednisone use can cause a reduction in immunity, which is what happened with my mom this week.

She was taken by ambulance on Friday morning to the hospital and admitted. She woke up feeling horrible and having a harder than normal time breating and was in so much pain that she was yelling for my dad to call 911. She was diagnosed with pneumonia, quite a bad case of it, and they admitted her for IV antibiotics.

I don't know what's next, I don't really understand what all of this means, but I do know that there is likely a LOT more of this sort of thing to come.

So I would ask for those of you who pray, to please add my mom to your prayer list. Please pray for her comfort, as this disease is attacking many aspects of her body; and continued strength to fight all of this. And also for my dad as he watches my mom suffer through all of this and feels hopeless to help her. Please pray for his strength.

thank you...

My little artists

I finally fixed my printer/scanner and was able to scan these this afternoon. I wanted to show them off when I brought them home last Friday but no such luck with the scanner on the fritz. This is what they made for me at school for mothers day.

My 3rd mothers day

The morning started with a trip to IHOP for my mothers day breakfast, courtsey of Mark and the kids. Breakfast was great and the kids enjoyed their usual "mac N cheese" that they always have when we go there (I know, for breakfast?!?!? Yuck!)

Then later tha day, the Koza's, Christine and Zoie Walton, Charles and I decided to go to the zoo for mothers day. We ran into my bestfriend Lauren and her BEAUTIFUL daughter Brianna when we were there, and David met us there to spend the day with us.

I had a great time, the kids were actually a little onry and not on their best behavior, which is a bit unusual because they are usually really good in public, but I can't complain over one day. We ate lunch at the food pavillion (David's treat, Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!), and got to see a lot of animals. Here are some pictures from the afternoon, it was a wonderful way to spend mothers day surrounded by people I love and care about!

Mom of the Year award

Check out the video, a friend emailed this to me this morning. Brought a HUGE smile to my face! Thanks Robert!!!!!!!!

http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=7AEe66neccDWZ8EoO5CfyDEzMjU2Njk3&referred_by=16341456-_xsiGDx&p=moveon


HAPPY MOTHERS DAY to all you amazing and wonderful moms!!

Lauren's 4 more years until 30 party

I'll start with pictures this time for something different...


I had an amazingly and incredibly fun weekend with my girlfriends! Lauren, my BFF since 7th grade turned 26 and to celebrate we rented a limo and went wine tasting on Saturday afternoon all around Woodinville. I don't like wine, or at least I didn't until I found 3 bottles I liked (and bought) this weekend, two whites and a red to be exact. I don't drink often, so by the time we were done at the first winery I was already buzzed...it was actually quite comical and the other girls said I was very entertaining...whatever that means!?!?!?!

There were 10 of us and would you believe that there was NO drama all day long? 10 women and NO drama, how often does that happen? My other BFF chelsey was there too, and she and I didn't know any of the other girls except for Lauren. Nothing like a little drinking to break the ice though.

We went to about 5 winery's and then headed back to the Kirkland area. We headed up to TGI Fridays because we still had about an hour before our reservation, and we had more drinks (can you believe that?) and some appetizers to pass the time.

Then we headed to the Purple cafe for more wine and a delicious dinner (steak, medium rare!!!) and spent a few hours there. But all of us were itching for some dancing so as soon as the check was split up between all 16 of us (we had more guests join us for dinner who didn't come for the limo ride) we headed off for a night of partying. Have you ever waited for a check to be split 16 different ways? Might as well order another bottle of wine to pass the time, LOL!

Then we went to good old Valhalla's for 80's night and some booty shaking dancing.