Caleb's Play

I am always so thankful when I get to be involved in my nieces and nephews lives. A lot of times, stuff happens while I have to work. My oldest niece Sophie was recently one of a few Alice's in Alice in Wonderland. I would have LOVED to be there but couldn't make it.

But, I was able to attend Caleb's play this past week. He is in 2nd grade at a Long Beach school not too far from where I work and since his play was at 1PM, I was able to run by there on my lunch. It was so fun.

Being that's brilliant and so enthusiastic, he actually had the opening line. He welcomed everyone to the play. He was so cute. Here he is (apologies for my terrible photography skills).


The play was themed Americana and had all kinds of American folk songs and anthems. It was very patriotic and very well done. Here is a photo of all the 2nd graders at his school - you can see that they really packed them on that stage!
I love being an aunt and am sooooooooo thankful to live so close to my precious nieces and nephews.

Baseball Game with Friends

A few weekends ago we went to a baseball game with our friends Matt and Lauren Sanders. They are relatively new to Long Beach and we met them in our last life group at church. Since then, we've hung out with them several times and we always have such a good time.

It was an Angel / Yankee game and there were so many Yankee fans there (and the Yankees won). But since we got the tickets for free and really don't care that much about baseball, we had a great time. I never eat hot dogs, but somehow they always sound so good at a baseball game.

Anyway, here is Ian with Matt and Lauren. It's probably been a while since I posted a picture of Ian but isn't his beard awesome?! I'll try to get a better picture of it soon.

The thing I love about baseball games is that it feels like summer. And today, which is rainy and about 60, I could use a little summer!

A Prayer Question

This morning I was thinking about a situation I heard of a few months ago. One of my siblings friends is having a hard time in their marriage. In fact, it sounds like perhaps the husband is thinking of getting out all together. I was feeling burdened for this situation and was praying about it this morning and I found myself praying something that I wasn't sure if it was okay.

I was praying for the husband to feel convicted, to see what he's doing to his marriage and his wife, all of which I think was fine. But then I started praying that God would take his presence away from this man, that he would no longer sense God's pleasure with him until he turned in obedience. As soon as I prayed for God to remove his presence from him, I wondered if that is an okay thing for us to ask God to do to another person. I've thought on and off about it all day and haven't come to a conclusion one way or the other.

Thoughts? Advice?

Did I Tell You We Got Citrus Trees?

When we first started working on our backyard, about a year ago now, I told Ian that I wanted a "citrus grove." Of course, by that I meant three mini citrus trees. We originally intended to plant them against the wall of our neighbors garage, since we have an existing bed already there. However, the lovely people at Armstrong told Ian that citrus trees need lots of sun. Since that area doesn't get that much sun, Ian decided to buy used wine barrels and plant our orange, lemon and lime trees in those barrels.

He worked so hard over his spring break a few weeks ago (he had to drill lots of holes for water) and here they are. Don't they look so cute?

We didn't want to leave that other bed empty though, and Ian knew I love roses, so he surprised me with four rose bushes, which are already blooming. Aren't they lovely?

Ian also got a fountain (which he is very in love with). And I can't blame him - the sound of running water is so nice while we're eating dinner under the veranda. It seems to be drowning out some of the traffic noise, which is great. He also got two more wine barrels and planted some wisteria, that he hopes will grow over the top of the veranda and make the whole patio completely shaded.

So here is the most update to date photo of our backyard - doesn't it look great? Ian did such a good job! In this photo, you can just barely make out the hanging plants, but they actually make a really big difference in the space. We heart our backyard!

Crazy Female Emotions

Truly, where do I begin? I do not consider myself a highly emotional person, but there are times when I step back from myself in a situation (like the one last night) and think, "Who the heck is this lady?"

Last night, I was a sad little puddle on the couch. And I'm sorry to say, it was not the first time this month that has been the case. I just felt all weepy and depressed. Who can say exactly what brings on these emotions, right? Hormones? Pity parties? Being tired? Whatever it is, I'm OVER IT. Poor Ian has to sit there and assure me that I'm just as fun as I used to be, that his affection for me hasn't changed, that our life together is still enjoyable. All that assuring I'm sure isn't helping my case for being fun and interesting. =) But for better or for worse, right?

So as I tried to evaluate my emotions last night and why I felt like a failure and a bad wife and all the other things I felt, I certainly did have the sense that "This weepy chic is annoying." But, she's also me, for better or for worse. =) So, I'm trying to accept that part of me, while also not letting it run rampid.

Fingers crossed I can avoid the puddle tonight!

Public Library

Do you know what we have at home? Four finished library books, stacked by our front door, waiting for the library to open tomorrow so we can return the books (and check out some new ones). Ian and I love the library. He just finished reading the Hunger Games series, which I had checked out previously. I just renewed the books on my account and he read those copies as I finished them. Then I started reading the other series by the same author, Suzanne Collins, and since this series is for middle readers, it's a pretty easy read. That one is called the Underland Series. Since I read the first one so quickly and had to wait two whole days (gasp) until I could get the next one, I checked out books two and three together this time. Now I'm finished with both of those and ready for books four and five, to complete the series.

Ian and I have both really been enjoying this new author, which was recommended to me by my friend Melanie. Ian has posted a few times about the Hunger Games in his blog, if you want to read that here. He is brilliant in his assessment, as always. =)

Isn't it great that we don't have to buy these books, which saves us money and is better for the environment, but instead we can get them for FREE from the library that is just around the corner from my office? Oh, how I love the library.

Do you love your local library?

Mother's Day Tea

As has become our annual tradition, we had a Mother's Day Tea at my parents' house in Brea. You would think, being that it's Mother's Day, that my sisters and I send out the invitations, do all the cooking, decorating and serving, but you'd be wrong. My mom does it all and we get to enjoy the fruits of all her labors. Isn't that awesome? We just show up and enjoy a FEAST and get waited on by various men in the family. This year, Sarah's men did the serving. Even Levi, the baby, "helped" Eric from the backpack on his back. Noah and Caleb were such gentleman and did a wonderful job. Ian was, I'll admit, very happy to be relieved of previous duties.

Each year, my mom picks a theme and does an amazing job working it throughout the tea. This year, the theme was Anne of Green Gables. Having just reread the series (for who knows how many times) a few months ago, and having just received the first movie from Ian for Christmas, I was well prepared.

Here is Sheila and Sophie, dressed in their best Anne fashion. Don't they look cute?
As part of the tea, we also had a time for elocutions. If you know the story, you know Anne is VERY dramatic and does lots of public recitations. Here's Sarah reenacting the Lady of Shallot while I read from the poem.

Here's my mom delivering her elocution, which was a passage from Romans. Very nice Nellie!

Mary and Abbie were there, of course, looking so cute. Mary's mother-in-law Linda made Abbie's outfit for Christmas but it worked perfect for the tea as well! (Not pictured is a bonnet that was to die for.)

Here's Gina with her two darlings. I can't wait to have a daughter of my own some day to bring to the tea. Some day!

And here is me and Mom. We're posing for Elena, who got a new camera for her birthday. You can't really tell, but I have my hair braided in two braids and then pinned up. I'm also wearing an apron my Grandma Sunukjian made, as a sort of pinafore. I looked cute. At least, that's what Ian said. =) I was so honored to be sitting by the hostess!

Happy Mother's Day, Mom! I love you and your teas. Thank you for having us over and for all your hard work.

And Happy Mother's Day to all the other mom's out there. You are great!