Go Cheetos!!

Sterling is playing his third year of summer soccer. Last week, while Sterling was suiting up for his game, littlest brother Jackson rounded up a retired soccer jersey and declared, "Get dressed, play soccer"! So we let him wear the old jersey and told him to go get his sandals when he then insisted, "No, socks and cleats!" I spent last week's game cheering on my little superstar Sterling (no really, he's pretty good this year!), and consoling my wannabe star Jackson on the sideline. Silent alligator tears ran down my three-year-old's face as I tried to explain to him that he couldn't play soccer today.

Coach K (daddy), made a quick call to the athletic director and guess who's the newest player/mascot addition to the Cheetos (can you see the color of their jerseys)? JACKSON!! Problem solved: Daddy coached, Sterling scored plus Jackson ran around in the backfield- equals two happy little boys. YAY!!

Happy Birthday Sterling!

Scene: I am combing Sterling's hair for church on the morning of his actual birthday.

Sterling (disappointed): Mom, my voice sounds the same.
Me: Did you think it was going to change on your birthday?
Sterling: Yeah.
Me: Oh, I am sorry honey. That doesn't happen until you turn like fourteen.
Sterling: Is that when it happened to you?
Me: Ummm, it's a little different for girls. . .

Man, I love this kid of mine. Happy Birthday Monkey :)

Anniversary

May 20th marked a decade of marital bliss for Matt and I. We commemorated this milestone with a weekend in San Francisco sans children, and not because Alcatraz is symbolic or related in anyway to this occasion!
Two graduations, three babies, seven moves, a few pounds and countless grey hairs later...I love you more than ever. Happy Anniversary!

Laurel Retreat...Finally!

My Laurels (16-18 year old girls in my youth group), have been begging me to do a "retreat". Not being sure what a "retreat" actually consists of, it took me too long to finally pull one off. And by me, I actually mean myself and two of my favorite people, Alisa Pierce and Marili Potts.

The overnighter started with dinner at El Novillero,a must-if you claim to be from Sacramento. After we headed to LeRivage (thank you Uncle John), where we had two beautiful adjoining rooms. The girls enjoyed the balcony overlooking the Sacramento River, soaking in the hot tub (above) and lounging by the fire pits until the evening. Then we gathered around and shared with each other our "favorite things"- each girl brought 13 of any single item that she wished to share with everyone else.

The finale of the night was made possible by my amazing adviser, Alisa. She had reinvented the old idea of the "temple time capsule". We spent hours with the girls helping them do everything from picking their wedding colors to writing letters to their future spouses. We reminded them of the amazing men they are worthy of, and renewed their commitment to remain virtuous. The capsules were brimming with both fun and meaningful memorabilia by the night's end. Now they are literally canned shut-not to be revisited until the year of each girl's engagement!

We laughed, we cried and it is my sincere hope that we created a lasting memory.