A is 6 today!

I told my little boy that I was not happy he was turing 6. I've said that every year since he turned 2, I think. The truth is...he's grown up sooooo fast. Next year he starts 1st grade! Where has my baby gone? Here is the spotlight I wrote that was read in primary today:

"We love our A... He has been a very happy and active child since the day he was born. Literally. The child never napped and barely slept a wink at night! Always a ball of energy. A loves to sing and dance. He's pure entertainment to his family and whoever else crosses his path. A loves going to kindergarten and enjoys playing with all of his friends there, who are also his friends at church. A is also a very good swimmer and enjoys doing canon balls into his community pool. He is also a great reader and loves to read all by himself. A really loves and looks up to his big sister, T. Whever he's out shopping with mom, he always looks for things to buy for her. A is also a snuggler and likes to have "cuddle parties" with his mom in her bed. He is a good helper around the house and especially enjoys playing with his new dog Tonka. A is a very special child of God and his family loves him sooooooo much!"

A has enjoyed a week of celebration. He was the "star of the week" at school and got to share a special stuffed animal every day at school. He also brought in his favorite book to share along with some treats to share with the class. On Saturday he enjoyed a party with his closest friends at Chuck E Cheese. I really wanted his party at the pool this year, but they are all currently closed for various reasons. I even tried to talk him into doing a party at our house, but he really wanted Chuck E Cheese....again. The first time was for his 4th birthday. Anyway, like last time, he and his friends had a great time. I feel truly blessed that A has made some real special friends here. He truly feels loved. Today, he picked pancakes for breakfast and opened a gift from his sister before we all went to church. Grandma and Grandpa Garcia were also here to celebrate his big day. After church, we had a barbecue, then cake and presents. A great day! Thank you all who have loved our special boy.

Utah/Easter 2009

So the kids and I had a pretty good trip to Utah. R stayed back to work and deal with our doggie's upset tummy.:) We carpooled with my good friend Mindy and her kids. It was a fun drive. As always, Mindy and I had lots to talk about between the many potty stops, and while attending to five chronically hungry and bored kids. Once in Utah I first got to see my adorable little nephew Shadrach, also known as "Shad." I couldn't stop kissing his loveable cheeks. My kids also enjoyed fighting over him. I was happy to see that my brother and his wife moved from their tiny BYU basement apartment to a tiny apartment upstairs. Oh, basement apartment living....brings back my own blissful memories! The bugs, the mold, the water heater that took up half the apartment, the weird neighbors upstairs, etc. etc. Good times! Moving on...... After visiting my little bro my cousin picked me and the kiddies up and drove us to Bountiful where my mama and papa live. Thanks Heather. I also got to see her little beautiful cherub, Olivia. The kids and I stayed in Bountiful for the rest of the week. The first day was my kid's favorite. They got to watch two session of conference!!! Needless to say they were bored out of their minds and reminded me every 5 minutes of their plight. I gave them a break on Sunday and let them watch "Bolt" instead. Meanwhile I got to attend the afternoon session in Salt Lake City with my parents and siblings. It was wonderful. I loved listening to the messages from our church leaders live. And of course hearing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing was icing on the cake. The rest of the week the kids and I went on several fun excersions: bowling, rollerskating, attending Aunt Me Me's softball game, visiting Aunt Me Me at work and eating all the snacks out of her break room, playing ping pong with Aunt Me Me, going to see Monsters vs. Aliens (not my fav.), going to see Hannah Montana the Movie ( Love it!!!!!), eating lots of sinful food, and just hangin' with the folks. T also got some quality time with her BFF Erin as well at the end of the week. Anyway, time flew by so fast as it always does when I visit my family in Utah. They are the best and I love them so much. They are truly my favorite people to hang out with. What a blessing it is that I like them so much! ...... I've also attached an Easter morning photo of my kids. We returned the night before Easter so we could be with R and his family. Doggy and Daddy were very happy to see us again!