HeaBug turns 4!

The time is going by faster than I'd like it too. But I feel like we are getting to enjoy our children at every age and really savor them.
Our Hea Bug is truly sunshine. The is sass, she is sweetness, she is opinionated and she calls it exactly how it is.
We are so happy to be her family. We couldn't have asked for better icing on our cake. Love you girl bug. To the moon.

HeaBug LOVES going to gymnastics, she had a party at her gym. Lots of friends, lots of fun! And thank goodness for the wonderful Coaches, Ms. Whitney and Ms. Taylor for handling our 18 little ones for two hours! (And the few big ones that jumped in on the fun near the end).

Seriously, they should have gymnastics parties for adults. This would be fun.

Games and exercise and fun. That's what I'm talking about. After hosting JT's birthday with every imaginable sweet, tasty, tummy aching indulgence... We decided to go the opposite for HeaBug's party. We had two giant trays of fruit (Strawberries, Mangos and Pineapple in one and Strawberries, Pineapple, Oranges and Watermelon in the other). We had bionico toppings, crema de leche, granola, coconut and raisins -eh on the raisins. (If you've never had one, I have just the place for you to go.)
Two trays of veggies (Broccoli, carrots, tomatoes and peas) dip, hummus and this amazing herb popcorn from Trader Joes. Seriously, it's the bomb. We had only waters and then the best part was the 108 mini cupcakes from Sweet Embellishments! Tasty, tiny and adorable. They were perfect!

Always a fan of the birthday song, it was extra special that we were singing to her.

On the morning of her actual birthday, she woke up to a decorated hallway and breakfast table! The balloons had qualities that we love about her written on them. Intelligent, Clever, Sweet, Witty... Brother was awesome in helping read them to her.

I picked girfren up from school to a Surprise Car Party. Thank you dollar tree and being 10 minutes early. I popped in there for some balloons, party hats, blow horns and necklaces. Pack all that in our mini cooper and we had a downright shindig goin' on. She was so surprised and just loved it!

Kids get to choose birthday dinner. She picked Sashimi from Tokyo Hibachi. It's our favorite sushi spot. Very traditional and not jazzed up with too many sauces. Mr. B has been going there since he was smaller than HeaBug. He took me for the first time when I was 15 years old! And Yuki still makes the very best spicy tuna salad!
For the kids, we generally go to Fusion Sushi. It's close to the house, they have happy hour specials and  they're cheaper lol. Which matters when they eat sushi like grown folks! But she wanted to go to the Buddah Place. I knew exactly what she meant and we were happy to oblige. They were excited to see her in her crown and with her balloons so Auntie Meg and the ladies were sure to bring her out a candle and some ice cream. They sang to her in English and Japanese and our HeaBug was beaming ear to ear!

We sure are blessed to have this girl in our lives. She makes me laugh out loud, literally, many times a day. She also makes me want to pull my hair out at times, as  a daughter should. We love her more than she'll know and we will embrace each day of her being 4 years old the same way we did when she was three and two and one... With patience, gratitude and adoration.

European Adventure: Fly away home

 We adored our time in Europe. We were so excited to get home. Home to our own rooms and beds. To our house and Auntie Nini and our dogs. To work and school.... well maybe we weren't excited for everything. While our flight over was direct, we had a connection in Chicago with a two hour layover on the way home. Our first leg was aboard a 767. A bit smaller than the 777 we'd gone over in. So instead of the on demand entertainment, there were several movies to watch but they were on a loop and only Bolt was on for the kids. We were glad that we packed word searches (Thanks MAGA!) and books and iPods. An hour or two in, I asked a flight attendant (who's voice had a slight Hawaiian accent) if he'd worked for United for long and if he new my cousin, Keenan. He not only knew him, they were good kine friends. After that discovery, that Aloha spirit found us over the Atlantic. Bruddah Dave hooked it up with a few minutes of chatting each time he came by, bottled waters and even ice cream for my kiddos! It's such a small world.

We landed in Chicago and got an express pass to get through customs. We got off the plane, went through customs, baggage claim to collect our luggage, customs again, took the tram to a different terminal, checked in for our next flight, re-checked out luggage, went through security again and walked up to the gate after they'd already begun boarding the plane. So much for grabbing a bite to eat during our layover. We barely made it in time!
This last plane was even smaller. A 757, no personal entertainment center. And we were in row 38. Yup, there in the back. On our previous flights we'd done Select seating where you had a little more leg room and space. Apparently we hadn't done it on all the flights and this one was full so there was no changing anything and getting our four seats together. So we dealt with it. We could not have gotten off that plane soon enough. There was no sleeping due to the constant flow of traffic in the tiny aisle between myself and Mr. B... seeing as how close to the bathroom we were. No bueno. JT FINALLY fell asleep about an hour before landing. He'd been up for 20 hours with no rest. Well, we start to descend and the pressure took its toll on his ears and he woke up hysterical. In that terrible "in-between" where you aren't quite asleep or awake, accompanied with the lack of sleep, the ear pain and the sudden need to pee but unable to get up because the fasten seat belt sign is still on, poor JT had a full on panic attack, frightening several of the people around us and treating me to one of the most embarrassing moments of my life. It is what it is and we were all very tired by that point.
We were over the moon happy to see Auntie Nini as we collected our luggage, very happy to drive our car, very happy to walk into our home, and very happy to have as much ice water as we'd like to drink. The next 4 nights, we were all asleep by 8pm.
The jet lag is starting to wear off.
What a fun time.
Love,
The B's

Happy Birthday Breezer! Dueling pianos at Sargent Peppers

It's December! I'm still struggling with this idea. In December, we like to get our celebrate on. It's Breezer's birthday! We headed down to Sargent Pepper's in Long Beach for a night of dueling pianos. It was great fun! They decorated our seats with streamers and balloons and had a bottle of champagne on ice just for her. We listened to two amazing performers, laughed hysterically, grubbed on yummy appetizers and sang along at the top of our voices!

 Breeze is our best girl and loved by many. She is smart, funny, bright, compassionate, beautiful, charismatic, loyal, and kind.

She is the kind of friend that only comes along once in a lifetime. Those that are lucky enough to call her friend know why. She is a friend worth making and a friend worth keeping. I'm lucky enough to be her sister AND her friend.

Dueling pianos are two performers that sit across from each other on separate pianos. They play songs at the request of the audience. One writes their request on a slip of paper and sets it on one of the artist's piano with a tip. The higher the tip, the sooner your song will be played. $20 with a song moves it right to the top of the list. There was a company Christmas party at the bar that night and Breeze was the only birthday. The piano players had a great time singing to at and with her. She was such a good sport and we laughed a lot! What a fun night!

 Taking turns wearing the birthday crown. Forgive the dark pics! 

 Popping the champagne for our birthday girl. Someone sent her a birthday shot too. She drank it and said it was good but didn't know what it was. I don't drink, but took a whiff and told her she'd just had a Kamikaze.

 Breeze and two of her best girls, Jo and Tiff

We were a gang of silly gals, hanging out, being loud, getting our song and dance on in honor of Breezer, whom we all adore! Happy Birthday Sister.

Friends 4EVR

You know when you're young and you're worried about being able to make friends?

You know when you're an adult and the idea of making new and lasting friendships seems like something you should've taken care of when you were younger?

I didn't get to meet Cakestina when we were younger. I'm glad I met her as an adult. I'm glad that she is  my friend... that I made... as a grown up.

I have a lot of acquaintances and pals. I'm a friendly gal. I have a handful of close FRIENDS. People that I could call in a bind, be it needing a sitter, a tampon or bail.

 Cakestina is my friend. My forever friend. Love her to bits and pieces and crumbs and more. 

 We snag chick dates, lunches, goodie exchanges, school drop off chats, the occasional (ok just once so far) matinee, the "we have to see this since we loved the book" late night showing, family dates, book clubs, dressing room advice sessions, dance parties, zumba classes, and all around radness.

Pumpkin Patch 2012

Birthday Frosting.

The night Laser Tag was a fail but
Lucille's dessert menu was a win.

The Cake thing is a reoccurring theme in our relationship.

Once upon a time, a few years back... I came home to an empty house (besides Tutu who was watching J.A.G. or Walker). There on the counter was a ziploc bag of chocolate cake pieces. Cake scraps. Without even thinking I opened the bag and started sampling the treasure I'd stumbled on. I thought to myself, "I didn't make cake today. Neither did Maga, who was at work, or Breeze, who was at school, or Tutu, who was watching J.A.G. or Walker"

Crap. I don't even know where this came from!

It could be from a cake assassin.

I do not lie when I recall these thoughts. Cake assassin. I worried. For a second.

Then I remembered my pal Christina was making a wedding cake. After calling and confirming that she was indeed the Cake Ninja, I felt better. And enjoyed the rest of the cake pieces.

I would totally die by cake assassin. 

Thus: CAKEstina

First Fridays Art Show Spring 2012

 I sure do love this crazy gal. She is funny and kind and opinionated and not afraid to say what she thinks. She's a good mom friend, for those ranting about your kids moments and a good girlfriend for all the other moments! She took me to lunch for my birthday today. We went to Preveza, a Greek and Italian spot in Los Alamitos. It was yummy and we inadvertently matched. It's hilarious. And awesome. I was simply going to recap another rad birthday week experience and instead decided to recognize a rad life experience. Yay for friendship!