From baby sister...
To radiant bride.
What a difference a year makes!
Our Best Wishes to Lorenzo's baby sister, Madel.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Friday, August 18, 2006
SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS, Part 2
This was how Lance looked during Crazy Hair Day at school.
Yes, Back to School Night is done, the days are getting colder, Labor Day is fast approaching, and Summer 2006 is coming to an end. So before all the details are blown from "the jasmine in my mind", let me give you a rundown of one of the most enjoyable summers my family has ever had.
1. Fourth of July
Actually, that should've read Second of July, because that's when the BIG celebration took place. Our family was invited to the home of some Adventist friends, where the kids went swimming and everybody feasted on veggie burgers, chips and potato salad. After sundown, we settled in to watch the awesome fireworks display. The kids got to light their own sparklers too!
2. Camp Meeting
It was such a wonderful blessing for our family to go to Camp Meeting. I was apprehensive at first, since I am admittedly the least outdoorsy person you could ever imagine, and the thought of roughing it in a tent isn't exactly my idea of fun. But the Lord had other plans for us, and when we got to the Adventist Campgrounds in Soquel, CA, we found out we had a cabin!
It was almost like the Lord was saying, "Just get yourselves there and I'll take care of you." God is so good.
The Campgrounds were also just a short drive away from Capitola Beach, where the kids got to play in the surf during down time.
We were there for over ten days, and it was such a renewing experience. For more on our Camp Meeting trip, read my article in 87 GENTLE STREET.
It was also during Camp Meeting when we celebrated...
3. Troy's Fifth Birthday
Yes, Troy's fifth birthday landed right smack in the middle of Camp Meeting! They sang "Happy Birthday" for him in the Kindergarten tent, and we threw a small party for him in front of our cabin. Troy got the Hulk cake he requested, which we supplemented with yogurt with sprinkles instead of ice cream (no freezers in camp!). After our sixteen pint-sized guests washed it down with pink lemonade and fruit punch, we dispatched them to their afternoon programs, thankful that we didn't have to deal with the early afternoon sugar rush!
What a wonderful blessing it was for Troy to celebrate his birthday during our very first Camp Meeting. It will be a memory for our kids to treasure for the rest of their days.
We also got to meet so many new friends in Camp Meeting, and some of them invited us to...
4. Vacation Bible School 2
Since the children really enjoyed VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL at the beginning of the summer, we decided to send them to another VBS, this time at the Parkwood Seventh-Day Adventist church, in north Modesto.
Unlike the "FIESTA" theme in our church, Parkwood did "The Road to Bethlehem" this year. The central theme was Jesus' birth, and the children were divided into the twelve tribes of Israel. Each tribe got to register in the "census", and then they got to explore the "Market Place", where they dyed their own pouches, made their own perfume, fashioned lamp holders out of clay, decorated their own mosaic boxes, made their own coins and assembled their own flutes. They also did Roman Legionnaire drills, played games and sang songs, and in the middle of the week, they got to witness the coming of Baby Jesus!
Each day, while the kids worked up an appetite, the smell of baking bread wafted through the premises. And when it was done, it was divided among the twelve tribes, who all partook of it after saying a prayer.
It was so touching to see my children learn more about Jesus each day. With both Vacation Bible schools beginning and ending the holiday season, and Camp Meeting right in between, this whole summer seemed to be one big lesson on how to get to know God better, not just for our kids, but for Lorenzo and me as well.
And the learning continues, now that the kids are back in SCHOOL. And I, for one, firmly believe that when there is learning...
...the blessings are sure to follow!
This was how Lance looked during Crazy Hair Day at school.
Yes, Back to School Night is done, the days are getting colder, Labor Day is fast approaching, and Summer 2006 is coming to an end. So before all the details are blown from "the jasmine in my mind", let me give you a rundown of one of the most enjoyable summers my family has ever had.
1. Fourth of July
Actually, that should've read Second of July, because that's when the BIG celebration took place. Our family was invited to the home of some Adventist friends, where the kids went swimming and everybody feasted on veggie burgers, chips and potato salad. After sundown, we settled in to watch the awesome fireworks display. The kids got to light their own sparklers too!
We also received good news that day, because that was when we found out we were going to...
2. Camp Meeting
It was such a wonderful blessing for our family to go to Camp Meeting. I was apprehensive at first, since I am admittedly the least outdoorsy person you could ever imagine, and the thought of roughing it in a tent isn't exactly my idea of fun. But the Lord had other plans for us, and when we got to the Adventist Campgrounds in Soquel, CA, we found out we had a cabin!
It was almost like the Lord was saying, "Just get yourselves there and I'll take care of you." God is so good.
The Campgrounds were also just a short drive away from Capitola Beach, where the kids got to play in the surf during down time.
We were there for over ten days, and it was such a renewing experience. For more on our Camp Meeting trip, read my article in 87 GENTLE STREET.
It was also during Camp Meeting when we celebrated...
3. Troy's Fifth Birthday
Yes, Troy's fifth birthday landed right smack in the middle of Camp Meeting! They sang "Happy Birthday" for him in the Kindergarten tent, and we threw a small party for him in front of our cabin. Troy got the Hulk cake he requested, which we supplemented with yogurt with sprinkles instead of ice cream (no freezers in camp!). After our sixteen pint-sized guests washed it down with pink lemonade and fruit punch, we dispatched them to their afternoon programs, thankful that we didn't have to deal with the early afternoon sugar rush!
What a wonderful blessing it was for Troy to celebrate his birthday during our very first Camp Meeting. It will be a memory for our kids to treasure for the rest of their days.
We also got to meet so many new friends in Camp Meeting, and some of them invited us to...
4. Vacation Bible School 2
Since the children really enjoyed VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL at the beginning of the summer, we decided to send them to another VBS, this time at the Parkwood Seventh-Day Adventist church, in north Modesto.
Unlike the "FIESTA" theme in our church, Parkwood did "The Road to Bethlehem" this year. The central theme was Jesus' birth, and the children were divided into the twelve tribes of Israel. Each tribe got to register in the "census", and then they got to explore the "Market Place", where they dyed their own pouches, made their own perfume, fashioned lamp holders out of clay, decorated their own mosaic boxes, made their own coins and assembled their own flutes. They also did Roman Legionnaire drills, played games and sang songs, and in the middle of the week, they got to witness the coming of Baby Jesus!
Each day, while the kids worked up an appetite, the smell of baking bread wafted through the premises. And when it was done, it was divided among the twelve tribes, who all partook of it after saying a prayer.
It was so touching to see my children learn more about Jesus each day. With both Vacation Bible schools beginning and ending the holiday season, and Camp Meeting right in between, this whole summer seemed to be one big lesson on how to get to know God better, not just for our kids, but for Lorenzo and me as well.
And the learning continues, now that the kids are back in SCHOOL. And I, for one, firmly believe that when there is learning...
...the blessings are sure to follow!
Sunday, August 13, 2006
BAKING FOR DADDY
Take a look at Mommy's little helper, with flour on her fingers and nose.
That's how my all of kids looked today, as they baked a home-made birthday cake for Daddy while he was sleeping. And they did it all by themselves, with very little help from Mommy!
Troy beat the eggs and was in charge of the dry ingredients, Lance measured all the other liquid ingredients, and both boys took turns with the electric mixer. All Mommy did was the boring grown-up stuff, like turning on the oven and lining and greasing the cake pans.
Yes, you read it right: cake pans. It was to be a two-layer cake, no less. Leave it to my kids to think big. This was, after all, DADDY's cake we're talking about...
...a two-layer chocolate cake with chocolate filling and vanilla frosting!
Oh, I know this picture doesn't exactly scream Escoffier, but Lance, Troy and Reanna took turns sprinkling that cake with chocolate sprinkles and they stuck in those candles themselves, which makes it the best darn birthday cake ever made in my book!
And while the cake layers were baking merrily in the oven, Mommy busied herself by making a version of pancit palabok which did not go against their Adventist beliefs. This meant forsaking the pork and shrimps, but she managed to make a healthier alternative using turkey and tofu.
And when it was all done, everything was served up to Daddy with a flourish. By this time, of course, all the kids cared about was dessert!
Daddy didn't disappoint them. He gamely lit the candles and posed for pictures. And then he made his birthday wish and blew out his candles. It was pretty much open season after that, with Reanna poking at the frosting while Troy picked out the sprinkles, one by one.
We spent the rest of the day quietly at home, watching movies and eating more cake and pancit. Daddy had to work later that evening.
Just like he had to work after FATHER'S DAY, and on that day of our wedding anniversary less than two weeks back, when he slipped and bloodied his forehead, yet continued to soldier on after leaving the doctor's office...
...which makes him the best darn Dad, husband and provider in my book.
Happy Birthday, Daddy!
We love you so much.
Take a look at Mommy's little helper, with flour on her fingers and nose.
That's how my all of kids looked today, as they baked a home-made birthday cake for Daddy while he was sleeping. And they did it all by themselves, with very little help from Mommy!
Troy beat the eggs and was in charge of the dry ingredients, Lance measured all the other liquid ingredients, and both boys took turns with the electric mixer. All Mommy did was the boring grown-up stuff, like turning on the oven and lining and greasing the cake pans.
Yes, you read it right: cake pans. It was to be a two-layer cake, no less. Leave it to my kids to think big. This was, after all, DADDY's cake we're talking about...
...a two-layer chocolate cake with chocolate filling and vanilla frosting!
Oh, I know this picture doesn't exactly scream Escoffier, but Lance, Troy and Reanna took turns sprinkling that cake with chocolate sprinkles and they stuck in those candles themselves, which makes it the best darn birthday cake ever made in my book!
And while the cake layers were baking merrily in the oven, Mommy busied herself by making a version of pancit palabok which did not go against their Adventist beliefs. This meant forsaking the pork and shrimps, but she managed to make a healthier alternative using turkey and tofu.
And when it was all done, everything was served up to Daddy with a flourish. By this time, of course, all the kids cared about was dessert!
Daddy didn't disappoint them. He gamely lit the candles and posed for pictures. And then he made his birthday wish and blew out his candles. It was pretty much open season after that, with Reanna poking at the frosting while Troy picked out the sprinkles, one by one.
We spent the rest of the day quietly at home, watching movies and eating more cake and pancit. Daddy had to work later that evening.
Just like he had to work after FATHER'S DAY, and on that day of our wedding anniversary less than two weeks back, when he slipped and bloodied his forehead, yet continued to soldier on after leaving the doctor's office...
...which makes him the best darn Dad, husband and provider in my book.
Happy Birthday, Daddy!
We love you so much.
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