May 2025

May started off with Anna qualifying for the 800 meter district meet. Three people qualify from each middle school and only three ran in the qualifying race for her school. We were proud of her for not dropping out like all the other kids did who didn't want to run against the two best runners. 

So she gets to move on! 

Arek became an American Citizen! 

We had a little celebration at our usual Sunday dinner.

Becky and I went to Dani's baby shower at a tea house in Upland.  

It was great getting to see all the nieces and to celebrate Danielle's miracle baby.

Darlene and I went up to see Aunt Helen for Mother's Day weekend. 

We stopped at this huge nursery/cafe on our way from the airport. Super cute and good food!

Anna was in her last drama production. They did Aladdin and it was fantastic!

She has had a great two years in drama but is going to concentrate on cross country next year.

She played the head guard of the palace and was in quite a few of the scenes.

Oliver celebrated his 10th birthday. Where does the time fly???

That's his girlfriend bottom left.

Kinga and I go to the library on most Thursdays. This one week they were having an event for elderly persons. Since there was no one attending, they let Kinga participate!

The cellist played Edelweiss and my eyes teared. 

It's the song I've song to all of the kids and I think some of my kids sing it to their kids as well.

Dan and I went to the Sunset Sip fundraiser for The Guidance Center in Long Beach.  Dan's dear sweet gold friend, Jim, bought a table.  

My dad was in and out of the hospital in May with afib. He's been so healthy his whole life that this has really been different. On one trip up top see him, Mia beat him in chess. 

That never happens! He made sure he beat her twice after that. 🤣 She is really good.

Last but not least, a quirky picture of dessert at Carolyn and John's house. They always serve takeout when we come over but we thought why not put dessert on a fancy cake plate.🤣🤣

April 2025

I can't believe the year is 1/3 over already! April was pretty busy for us.

It started out with the Literary Women Festival in Long Beach. I went with a few ladies from bridge. I enjoyed all the author talks except one, the one I was most looking forward to, Mama Love. Still a very nice day.

So we did say yes to the quail business and Mia ordered her coop. She and Anna put it together and Mia cleared out some plants to make room for it in the side yard.

Anna and I volunteered to fill Easter eggs and hand out Easter baskets at the Joint Forces Training Base to military kids. The Rossmoor Women's Club made all the baskets the week before. 

Spring photos! I normally don't do the Spring photos but Anna's fall photo made her look like a linebacker. This picture is much better.

Mia had a lacrosse game on her birthday and Anna was leaving the next day for D.C. Anna would also be gone over Easter. So we decided to celebrate Easter and Mia's birthday with the four us on the Saturday before. Such a fun day!

They woke up and searched for their Easter baskets.

They needed a few hints but they found them!

Next, Mia opened her birthday presents.

Then they played a couple of Pokemon games with the new cards from their baskets.

Time for an Easter egg hunt!

After dinner out, we came home and sang Happy Birthday to Mia. So glad we decided to celebrate this way.

This squirrel has been trying to get into the bird feeder for weeks. It finally figured it out. 😠

And Anna is off for D.C., Philadelphia and New York City!

She had a great time and slept for almost twenty four hours when she got home, with a virus no less. Apparently almost everybody came home sick. 

Meanwhile, Beth and fam made it out for Easter weekend. On Saturday we colored eggs...

...or literally "colored" eggs.

Then Chase, Mia and Oliver opened their birthday gifts.

Dan made his famous vegan chocolate cake and we sang to Paige, Oliver, Chase and Mia!

And before everyone headed home they decided to include Anna in the celebration somehow by taking a photo next to her promotion sign in our yard.

The next day was Easter and Paige and Kinga wore matching dresses!

We had another Easter egg hunt!

But the celebrating was not over yet. Mia had a birthday party with her friends the next day. Just a few of them went out for sushi first.

I love the teenage parties, zero planning, just vote on what everyone wants to do. So the first thing they did was blow up balloons and write messages or drew pictures on them.

Next they went down to the park and hung out a while. Some girls went home after that. But there was still a bunch left!

After an hour or two of hide and seek, three of the girls spent the night and then it was a wrap. Wait, one friend stayed the whole next day as well. 🤣

I took a photo of the eight grade panoramic picture. There's a lot of glare but Anna is in the front row on the left.

Twice a year Mia has to cook for her Japanese class. Her friend Micheal came over to do it with her this time. They made seared salmon sushi.

One more month of school left and we will have two high schoolers...again. 🤣