Little Sweethearts - *JAM*GIRL

This past weekend I had a very special event that I've been working on for the past couple of months. I am the kids ministry director at my church, *JAM*KIDZ. I recently formed a group for our little girls and this past weekend we had our first event - "Covered*by*love".

Everything had to do with love! Perfect month for it. I made heart shaped sandwiches, we had a little candy table and we had a "make your own hair accessory" table.

Fun day with a great lesson geared towards these little girls ages.

I loved every minute of it.

She said goodbye to her 20's

This may be the most belated post ever, but I've been wanting to document special events on my blog and this is one of them.

On February 5th my sis-in-law, Sonia, said goodbye to her 20's and hello to her 30's. we celebrated with a birthday dinner on her actual birthday at CPK, quick and a bit hectic since we all had a meeting to attend that night.

Two days later, we gathered together and my mom and I cooked some of Sonia's favorite foods.

-Stuffed mushrooms (one bite if pure creamy, salty, cheesy goodness - pic below)
-Veggie medley (seriously the best, sweet, salty - corn, bell peppers, onion, sugar)
-Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
-Chicken Cordon Bleu' (My mom has been making this for years, one of her most requested foods. It's am-a-zing)
-Red Velvet Cake and cupcakes with cream cheese buttercream frosting (chocolate, creamy goodness! I tried a new frosting recipe and loved it!)

I'm not far behind Sonia in saying hello to my 30's :( but I'm so glad she's gone before me, makes it a little less scary. lol

HAPPY, HAPPY Birthday to my sis! I love her!

Flu it better not be you!

Paranoid. Germ phobia. I did to the right thing and got my flu shot on Friday. Left with my band aid on my shoulder and my arm feeling like it was about to fall off, but I was ready to face the flu season.

The flu was ready for me, apparently. Woke up this morning, Saturday with sickness. Went along with my day, errands here and there and by afternoon it really hit me.

I'm still hoping its just a bad cold. That this fever is just a few hours thing. I'm hoping.

Take it from me, being a germ phobic and thinking I'm some flu superhero is all nice. But I'm not feeling it tonight.

Here's to another season. I'm still hoping.

The World of Parks & Recreation

I've never seen the show. But today I found out that they were filming a few miles away from my house and without thinking, I jumped in the car and drove towards the spot - The Orange Circle.

As I drove up, I thought that they most likely had the area around it closed off. But they didn't! This was a chance to get an up close look at a TV set.

As I circled the circle, I had my phone camera ready and was snapping away like a crazy paparazzi.

I didn't get to see the stars, actually I wouldn't know who they were if I did. Maybe just the blonde, Amy Pohler.

I was a bit starstruck just seeing the gaffers and cameras.

Who knows, maybe I'll be seen doing a drive by with my phone in hand? :)

A special night

The big 4-0 Anniversary celebration for mom and dad was one of the best yet. I rambled on about not being about to do a big party / banquet but this little gathering of our immediate family (not all with my Sister, her hubby and their son not here) at one of the parents favorite restaurants was perfect. I even talked everyone in to getting a group picture (it was like gathering toddlers with the way the men were trying to skip it). Afterwards we went back to the house and we had a special thing planned with my sister, her hubby and their son FaceTiming in. Lots of tears, it was perfect and exactly what my family is about. Close knit, emotional and heartfelt. That's us.

We served cake and sat around having a good ok' time - the night could not have been better for two of the most amazing people on this earth.

"The older I get, the less time I want to spend with the part of the human race I didn't marry." - Robert Brault

40 Years is a Big Deal

Today marks my parents 40th Anniversary. What a milestone. How many people can say that nowadays? Not many.

They met at a Catholic hospital in Pasadena, CA in their early 20's, she found him annoying and he thought he was the cream of the crop :). They fell in love and through ups and downs stuck together. They married, a few years later married. Here they are today, examples of love and overcoming tough times, hardships in life . Good times always outweighed the bad and they shared all this with their kids.

Now five kids, three kid-in-laws and two granddaughters later - they're celebrating this milestone.

I love them. Happy Anniversary to my beautiful parents.

40-year Chocolate Cake

Tomorrow is a special Anniversary for my parents. 40 years. A banquet with all our family together, friends of theirs from decades ago and new friends. That was the ideal plan, not happening. Thanks to this economy, we are having an intimate family dinner and night with just the "kids". The banquet will have to wait until later this year or the 41st.

For the "night in" celebration, my 2 1/2-year-old niece helped me make a chocolate cake that was worthy of a 40 year celebration.

A few splatters here and there, chocolate all over her face, we got it done and tomorrow we'll hope that it's THE cake that makes these two amazing parents of mine feel celebrated.

A magical place...

Disneyland. Pure magic. The smell of cinnamon and sugar around every corner, the musky feeling of water in the air, twinkling lights at night, music that takes you back to your childhood, cold brisk nights and people smiling. That's what I see, smell, hear.

It's pure magic.

California Adventure, the little sibling of Disneyland smells of fresh orange groves, burnt sugar, sounds of Coney Island (what I'd imagine it would sound like, like the scene from Beaches), tortillas, sprays of water, vineyards and carefree attitude.

It's a place where you can let your hair down and pretend you are a Californian. Oh wait, I am. See, it even has me dreaming.

Seeing this through the eyes of someone so young, that's what makes it magical. It never gets old.