Mia's Preschool Graduation and Lake Chabot

Mia graduated from preschool on Thursday. I told her that she is officially a kindergartner now. She had a great time in preschool making friends and she loved her teacher, Mr. Kevin.


On Memorial day, we went to Lake Chabot (that was one of our "Discover California" places) with a bunch of friends. We rented some boats and took turns going out on the lake. Ben took the little ones out by himself. I'm surprised no one fell in because when I went out later with Ben and Xander I thought for sure we were going to tip over. Xander would scurry from one side to the other playing in the water making the boat rock back and forth. Luckily, I had my maternity wetsuit made out of cellophane and bubble wrap underneath my clothes! (That's an inside joke for Ben's family)



CJ is growing up so fast. She wants to do everything that the grown-ups do. She got to do the paddle boat like a grown-up and play grown-up games with the grown-ups. CJ will be 10 next week and I just can't believe it!



We had a great time BBQ-ing, playing games and hanging out with our friends. Thanks for a great time!

Projects

I love having little projects to do especially if they don't cost alot of money. I have been looking for used dressers for Xander and Zoey on craigslist. Last week, I hit the jackpot and got 2 dressers for FREE! A neighbor was getting rid of 2 dressers last week. Since they don't have DI here, lots of people just leave their furniture on the curb with a sign "FREE" on it. I've mentioned my father's motto before, "One man's junk is another man's treasure". Well, I am a firm believer of that and I am not too proud to take someone else's junk, especially if they're offering.

I checked them out and noticed they needed some minor work on them and then told Ben to grab them for me. I wish I would have taken "before" pictures because I think they would have made the finished product look even better.



This one is for Xander since he has been using sterilite containers for drawers for almost 3 years. It matches his "Lighting McQueen" decor in his bedroom.



This one is for Zoey. I wanted to do something different for hers and since she really doesn't have a room to match it with, I really could do it any color. I've been wanting to use Mod Podge and this gave me an excuse to use it. For the record, using it was as fun as I had hoped it would be and Ben even let me use his really nice paintbrush.

I LOVE PAINTING! I forgot how fun it is. I can't wait to have a place of my own someday so I can paint whatever I want and hang up whatever I want. And I would even make more of an effort to match furniture and things. Oh, to dream!

My other project was reupholstering my dining room chairs. Once again, I wish I had a before picture. Just imagine a really gross fabric that is supposed to be green but it's too hard to tell because it's so dirty. We bought the dining room set last year on craigslist. Ben's parents helped us refinish the table last year and I had hoped to reupholster the chairs soon after. Hey, it only took me a year! My mom and dad got me a staple gun for my birthday (which I love) and bought some vinyl fabric for the chairs. The vinyl was hard to work with because of how stiff it was, but it has turned out to be a great thing because when the kids make a mess, like they always do, clean up is so much easier.



Did I mention that I love projects? My next one on my list is to make a blanket for Zoey. I've made one for all of my other kids and began crocheting one for her but have since lost motiviation (as I have with alot of things during this pregnancy,like reading books, which I normally love). I'm going to have a friend help me make a simple one where you crochet around the edges. I've got 5 weeks to complete it, wish me luck!

Monterey Bay Aquarium

For our Discover California this month we went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, thanks to my friend Adrienne who got me free tickets for my birthday. Monterey is a beautiful area to explore. They have places like Cannery Row (in honor of John Steinbeck), 17 mile drive with Pebble beach, Fisherman's Wharf, and of course, beaches.



The kids had a great time at the Aquarium. The Aquarium was hosting some kind of Cooking Expo and had celebrity cooks like Alton Brown (from the Food Network), who I was able to take a quick photo of. They also had yummy samples for us to try.



I love Mia and Xander's expression in this photo. It's a clear tunnel where water from the outside flows over the top. Xander booked it and got out quick while Mia ducked for cover!



We had a great time at the Aquarium and afterwards headed to the beach for a couple of hours. It was the best day at the beach I have had since we moved here. Normally, we go to the beach and it is freezing. It was 85 degrees in Monterey that day and we had so much fun.



Thanks again Adrienne!

My Husband is Better than Yours

Who knew that turning 32 could be fun? I think 32 is the new 23. I had a great birthday yesterday. Ben had gotten a teeny tiny cheesecake and stuck a candle in it and my kids sang "Happy Birthday" to me in the morning (Xander sings, "Happy Day Day").
Cheesecake for breakfast is the best!

Then, my friends took me out to lunch and Adrienne made me brownie cheesecake with maraschino cherries in it.
Cheesecake for lunch is the best!

Now, to the part where the title of this blog comes from. Months ago, Ben's sisters had posted about their birthdays and shared what awesome and creative things their husbands did for them. I admit, as I read them I was a little jealous. One sister's husband took the day off and had the whole day planned with activities like getting a massage,dinner and a movie; the other sister's husband made a song about her and sang and played it on his guitar. Little did I know that the wheels were turning in Ben's head. He told me that is when he started thinking about my birthday.

Ben had arranged for my friend to watch the kids so he could take me out to dinner to a secret place. The fact that he planned and made arrangements for the kids earned bonus points for him. I love surprises and not having to plan it was great!

I couldn't believe how hard it was for me to not do anything. I wanted to know more details so I could help out. How long were we going to be out? Should I make dinner for everyone? Ben insisted that I do nothing and he would take care of everything. He even had to scold me to STOP doing what I was doing so we could get out the door.

He told me he had to stop by the gas station to get gas. I looked at his half full tank as he gave me an explanation as to why he needed more gas. Twenty minutes later we were on the road without anymore gas than we had begun with. The pumps weren't working and Ben had to try more than one pump. Then, as we were making our way to Emeryville where the restaurant was, he was going to try a new way, and then changed his mind and decided to go the way he goes to work.

Fourty minutes later we were down the street looking for this restaurant that his friend had told us about. Ben didn't even know the name of it, but insisted it started with an "M" all the while telling me how Emron always takes his visitors to this place because it is so close to his house and that it has excellent cheesecake.

I'm thinking, "I'm starving. It's past 7:00p.m. and I want food!" Finally, Ben decides to get directions from Emron and stops by his place. He tells me that I should come up too because I haven't seen his apartment.

Emron gives me a little tour of the place, which is gigantic and very clean for a man's apartment. We walk up to the second floor and I hear, "Surprise" and see my kids all running toward me.



Ben had planned a surprise party for me and I had no clue. I was so surprised! He had been planning this for weeks and coordinating with everyone. My friends were in on it and his friends from work all helped Ben plan it out. Ben was so sneaky about everything. He even had his friends buy some of the things so it wouldn't look suspicious when I check our bank account, which I do alot. He is a really good liar.



We played pictionary and had pizza and of course. . .cheescake. Cheesecake for dinner is the best!

Do I really think my husband is better than everyone else's. Yep! I sure do. I'm sure you think yours is better and that's the way it should be.


It was the best birthday! I told Ben this party earned him at least a 5 year break. I think he was relieved.

Lil' Korean Ninjas

Tonight at CJ's school was an Multicultural event where families dressed in traditional clothing and brought homemade dishes representing their culture. I dressed the kids up in their Korean clothes (thanks to my Mom and Dad who have been to Korea) and took our Chicken Divan ( a not so Korean dish) to share. It is CJ's favorite dish and I always like to make my kids happy, you know. I used to joke around and say that whatever I made was Korean. I would tell people anything I made was considered Korean food since it was made by a Korean. I made Korean pizza and Korean hamburgers.



All it took for my Lil' Korean Ninjas to appear was putting on the outfit. Instantly, I had my Kung Fu Klan. Here is C.J. (Cutting Jaguar) performing her, "I will chop you diagonally" move.



And then there is M.I.A. (Most Intriguing Asian) performing her "Bedazzling Move" where she can kill an army of thousands with just one cute smile.



Who can forget X.A.N.D.E.R. (Xciting And Naughty Dangerously Effective Rambo-ninja) who has so many moves, one cannot count them. Here is the "Come closer to my hand and see why it moves so fast" move.



Here is the "Cross your nose and hope to Die" move.



And a personal favorite, the "Watch how calm I am before I take you down" move.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to women everywhere especially to my Mom. Even though she will never read this (my mom doesn't use the computer or internet), I wanted to blog about her and share with everyone else how much I appreciate her.

My mom is amazing. When she was little all she ever wanted to be was a mom. When she found out that she wouldn't be able to bear children of her own, that didn't stop her. She adopted five children. Most of them required extensive surgeries and other medical help over the years.

Growing up, my Mom used to call me her shadow because I would follow her everywhere. She even would sing me a little song about me being her shadow. I grew up watching her dance to the "oldies" and the smell of homemade bread in the air.

She struggled with reading in school and was elated when I decided to be a teacher. I think she was even more excited when my first teaching position included me being the Reading Specialist.

My Mom has always had a goofy side. Maybe that is where I get all my goofiness from. She has a bucket list and on it are things like: ride in a hot air balloon (which she has done), ride up Hwy 1 on the coast of California, go para-sailing, and my favorite, pop popcorn in a hot air popper without the lid, letting the popcorn go everywhere!

I think my favorite thing about my Mom is her ability to love. She has a giant heart! When I was engaged to Ben, we took a trip to Michigan to meet the parents. We brought along CJ who was 2 at the time. I didn't know how my family would react to me getting married to Ben and then on top of that, be a mom to his daughter. I had no need to worry. My parents treated CJ as if she were their granddaughter immediately. They loved her without any hesitation.

I made a pillow years ago for my Mom with the saying embroidered, "All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother. . ." and that about sums it up for me!

On another note, Ben and the kids made my day wonderful! I got beautiful flowers, cheesecake pancakes with strawberries and whipped topping and cute cards from my kids. I have the best family!

FROM BEN:


FROM THE KIDS:

Random

There is nothing exciting going on lately to blog about so I thought I would post some random pictures (pictures I had wanted to blog about, but never did) with random thoughts.

ANDERSON KIDS

I hope Betsy and Russ don't mind me posting pictures of their naked kids.

Random Thought: Why is it perfectly acceptable for kids to run around naked and not adults? We even think it's cute seeing little naked bums, but find it gross when we see an adults plummer bum.



REID

Reid is a very lovable and cuddly kid. He loved Mia and thought she was a pillow. Mia loved petting him like a kitten.

He tried to love Xander, but Xander prefers "tough love".


Random Thought: We need to love everyone. I think it would bring world peace and stop world hunger.

PORTER KIDS

Xander and Mia holding hands. . .what a precious sight!


Random Thought: Will Xander love his sisters when he gets older, like he does now? Will he wear glitter lip gloss, with no hesitation, when he gets older, like he does now?

Xander getting his haircut. He's a better sport than Ben.


Random Thought: Ben and I saw a bikini made out of human hair at Ripley's Believe it or Not. I wonder if I saved all the hair I find around our house if I could make matching hats for my family and if we did would anyone notice that we would be wearing them because it would be on top of our heads?

Kids making their own pizzas, thanks to their Dad's love of pizza.


Random Thought: If pizza grew on trees, would Ben still love pizza just as much? Would he still want to eat it everyday? Would he steal pizza from the neighbor's trees? Would he feel bad about stealing the pizza from the neighbor's trees?