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Flashback! The Easy Bake Oven

Okay Ladies.... I am sure that many of you can recall fond memories of producing culinary delights in your very own Easy Bake Oven, I know I can (although nothing I made was edible)! Well our baby girl is now making memories of her own. Tonight Nyla made her very first yellow cake with chocolate frosting (and tons of sprinkles)! Of course the cake looks more like a pancake with glaze - but to our 4 year old - it is truly a masterpiece hahahahaha! Her daddy is the brave one, who asked to taste it, but she told him he would have to wait (he had not eaten dinner yet) then proceeded to eat it herself. Her verdict on how it was .... "ummm, tasty, mommy can we make one of these cakes again?" Azul told her "it may look good but it is bad for your teeth, too much sugar." What a pin-popper!

SOON TO CELEBRATE A DECADE OF LOVE

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Mill has promised to whisk me to somewhere private , beautiful and close to the water for our anniversary. Just the two of us. Finally taking the time to just enjoy each other and bask in all the beauty of this love!
I CANNOT WAIT!

Emil Dedicated To God

Today was truly a wonderful day for our family. Surrounded by our families and true friends [Deb, Reba, Tracy, Kelvin & the girls, Ty & the kids], we dedicated our newest son, Emil Jaye to the Lord in a service at my father's [Stephanie] church, Bethel Ministries.

After the service we all went to the social hall for cake and punch, but the real treat was the "soul food" of laughter and conversation that we all shared. If you have ever met my baby brother, Billy, then you know exactly what I mean!

My girl, Tracy recorded the entire dedication and as soon as she sends me the link, I plan to post it on the blog, but in the meantime enjoy the pics!

Peaceful Relationships Through God

A few months ago we left our church home of 7 1/2 years. We have been visiting another church since that time but have not yet committed our membership. Keep us in prayer, we truly want to be led of the Lord for a move as important as this one.

The church that we are visiting has started a 12 week series on "The Peacemaking Church". Sunday School classes, Sermons and Small Group Sessions all study from the same series. The focus is on restoring and preventing the loss of relationships in the church, personal relationships, and the workforce, GOD'S WAY - WITH PEACEFUL HEARTS AND ACTIONS. I posted the book on our "bookshelf" here on the site if you want more information.

I have been reading the book ferociously and in the WORD! For the first time in a long time, I truly understand what it means to "be thirsty" for the WORD! I take every chance (small as they may be) to read and study. More importantly, I have been applying God's principles for peace to my life, mainly in terms of my family. It is working!!! Mill told me the other day that my tendency to yell when upset has decreased 90%!!!!!! I thank the Lord for blessing my attempts to usher PEACE vs stress into our home. Read this book! It will change you from the inside - out!

MLK DAY 2009

Today the kids and I went downtown to MLK DAY at the Sacramento Convention Center and met up with my sister, brother and their families. I have been reading a book to them about Dr. King for the past few weeks at bedtime to give them some for-knowledge about the significance of this day.

When asked who MLK is, Nyla responds "Martin Luther King is someone who had to sit in the back of the bus, he wanted people to love each other, then he got in jail." I figure that is a start for her Black History.

Azul's response is "Martin Luther King was a boy who was told he could not come over to play because he was black and his friend was white." He wanted to help people because Rosa couldn't be able to sit where she wanted." He was a person who helped people by boycotting the buses until they said that black people could sit wherever they want."

We had a great time. It was so nice to see and hear aspects of our African American culture and to share it wih my children, family and friends. This will definitely be an annual tradition for us.

Power Combo - Sports and Music

Azul is playing basketball for a local park and rec boys league. Now he is in 2nd grade and the league is for 3rd and 4th graders BUT since Mill is coaching - Azul secured a place on the team (wink!) and he is holding his own. They practice two nights a week and play games on Saturdays.

He just began taking piano lessons as well one day a week. He has been asking for them for nearly two years but we wanted to wait to see if he was serious and he was! He is so excited and attentive during his lessons. He has to be admonished to "wait just a minute" because he wants to run with whatever he has learned! I bought him a $24 keyboard to practice his music homework on at home but plan to look for a real piano if he sticks with the lessons. I am glad he is learning to "read" not just play music. He says he wants to play the saxophone next! Ambitious he is!

Ballet & Gymnastics Diva

Nyla is taking ballet/tap dance and gymnastics classes and looks forward to her weekly sessions being that I am homeschooling her and so she does not get the day to day interaction with children her own age. Dancing is just perfect for her...she is most definitely our "free-spirited" and "creative" child. Dance, flowers and arts and crafts are her greatest interests right now.

She is doing very well and is very sassy! I often have to look at her through the glass window and mouth "good job but pay attention to your teacher." She constantly checks to make sure I am watching her.. oh how she loves undivided attention. She had her first ballet recital in December. She was an angel in "The Littlest Nutcracker." Her next recital Disney's "When You Upon a Star is in July.

Mr. Rolly Polly

Well our baby - Emil Jaye, who is 5 months old, is quickly moving towards "not being a baby" anymore. He definitely wants to move and keep up with his big brother and sister! He rolls over from back to front and front to back and will reach and grab anything within his reach! It is common to find him in a corner grabbing for a toy he saw from across the room.

Azul and Nyla absolutely love to see him rolling over and trying to scoot about. Here is a little video of Emil in action... check it out!

Azul's Stage Debut

Azul started a new school for 2nd grade (public school) this past November after being in Christian school since kindergarten. I was worried about the change but he has adjusted perfectly - making new friends and excelling academically. He wanted to try out for the Rumplestilskin play this month. 112 students tried out and only 60 were selected so he felt pretty fantastic about getting a role - Leader of the Busy Bees! He said he lines with such enthusiasum and "loudness"!!!! My baby is definitely an extrovert!