summer snapshot - week 2

ella setting up a marble run and playing with marbles.
creativity camp: ella and her group getting filmed for their tv show they wrote.
andrew and ella presenting their tv shows to the audience.

ella and taylor crafting at the kitchen island.
john and david building with magna tiles and playing outside.

christopher leaving for california with nani and tata for his 13th birthday trip.
andrew and ella working on their summer drawings.

john and ella building a fort in john john's room.
and working on a welcome home sign for christopher.

ella making smoothies for everyone (the color comes from the spinach in them:)
john playing with his new set-up in the living room.

ella on her way out the door for her dance recital.
after the recital with flowers and family.
john john and chris creating a new set up with the magna tiles.

summer snaphot - week 1

here's what went down around here during the first week of summer...

andrew learning how to pan fry chicken nuggets.

he thinks he's ready for master chef now :)

ella making banana bread.

john and ella building blocks and playing endless games of uno (john's favorite).

andrew and christopher's book collection: their own combined with ones from the library.
christopher showing andrew the books he checked out from the library.
ella and john getting a little taste of coffee while i do my grocery shopping.

john john picking out a popsicle and toy after getting stitches on his chin.
shooting the basketball endlessly in his room with his new set.
christopher and john playing many games of yugioh.

andrew trying on the shoes he has been eying and then buying them with his own $$$.
the socks he's been wanting, he bought this pair to match his new shoes.
scooter/bike rides in the neighborhood with lady.

christopher getting creative at lunch one day.
the kids waiting for me to get called in to see the ultrasound of the baby.
andrew's play from the camp at school he was at in the afternoons.

 

ella going horseback riding with her girl scout troop.
john john working diligently on a father's day card for chris.
ella making smoothies for everyone for an afternoon snack.

a bridal shower

a few months ago, i hosted a bridal shower for my future sister-in-law.
the weather was beautiful so we held a garden luncheon outdoors.
worked out perfectly since our house was still under construction due to the plumbing problem.

the outdoor ramada we have has been great for setting up food for parties in the backyard.
when we bought the house and gutted the kitchen,
our contractor had the wonderful idea to reuse the old kitchen under the ramada.
the granite counter tops have been put to good use many times since we have lived here.

i didn't get a chance to take a picture with all the food set-up on the counters.
so, i took some after the shower of what still remained out there.

i did snap this one of the hors d'oeuvre table we had set up in the middle of the ramada.
chris' aunt cathy made the adorable sign.

we have a wonderful tree at one end of our yard, so we set up the tables under it.
my mom was such a big help with the decorations and details.
she made these darling chair covers for the bride and mob to sit at while opening gifts.

we put white table cloths on the tables with yellow tulips.
her wedding colors were yellow and navy.

this was the dessert table...we had lots of yummies under that wonderful canopy thanks to my mom, mother-in-law and chris' aunt who all made wonderful sweets.

some of the younger crowd at the shower...
ella was a big help with getting everything ready.

i love using these recycled starbucks glass bottles for drinks.
and the straws are always so much fun - had to get them in her colors for the shower...

here is the beautiful bride opening her gifts.

and here she is with her sweet mom.

it was such a lovely afternoon and so fun to host such a special event.