Trying something new

Our family had our first team sporting competition last Saturday. Besides swim team, we've never been one of those families that has been involved in competitive team sports nor have we sat on the side of a field every Saturday cheering on our kids... until now! Siena joined the YMCA's recreational volleyball team and will be having practice and games every week through the middle of November. I'm really proud of her for trying something new, especially considering her fear of balls. Siena has taken classes in dance, gymnastics, tap, painting, sculpting, horseback riding and swim team, but never anything involving balls. Neither of us have any eye-hand coordination and we get scared of balls flying at us at high speed, so that's why I'm so proud of her wanting to try. Go Siena Go!

My Angel, Siena

First, go to my Playlist and click on "Miracle" by Celine Dion.

Go on, do it! ... No really, do it!

Thanks.

Some time ago, while driving in the car with Siena, we were listening to this song and I told her that this song relayed exactly how I felt when she was born.
I remember how excited I was 12 years ago when I held Siena for the first time.As a new mother I was amazed to learn the meaning of unconditional love. I had no idea that I could love THAT much. I had always loved my parents and siblings. I loved my husband fervently, but I had no idea what it was like to love my own baby. It was more love than I ever could have imagined.
In our family we have this game where one of us will say, "I love you!" and the other one will answer back, "I love you more!" We play it all the time, but I tell Siena that she may love me as much as she thinks is possible, but until she has a child she will never know what I mean when I say I love her. She was my first miracle of love.

Siena is 12 today! Happy Birthday, my Angel.
You are such a blessing to my life. You are such a beautiful person, but like I always tell you, I'm even happier that you are a good person with a loving heart and caring soul. You are an ideal daughter and sister. I am so happy to be your mother. Thanks for keeping me laughing for these last 12 years. You are awesome! I love you and I'm glad you are mine!

Birthday slumber party

I'm trying to remember how many slumber parties I had as a child. I know I had a lot and I always invited a lot of friends. I don't know why my parents let me have so many because I know my siblings didn't have even half the number I did. Plus, it is a lot of work! I particularly remember my mom making about 20 corn husk dolls for one of my birthdays. They were so cute, but took hours and hours.
Last weekend we let Siena have another birthday slumber party. She and her friends had a blast. In a way, it is not as much work as when she was little because they are more able to take care of themselves, but it was still a lot of prep time. Of course, I understand that I put most of the work on myself. Siena doesn't really require that much anymore. As she's gotten older, she plans her own games and schedules the activities. I used to stress out over how to entertain everyone, but now I let Siena take care of that. The last couple of of years I didn't even have to decorate a cake because that was part of her game plan. Ultimately, I always end up spending too much money and I tell myself that the next year we are doing something simplier.
This year Siena wanted a Japanese theme so they made sushi out of cake and candy.

For party favors we got some lotion/bath gel, chap stick, nail polish, and little soaps made to look like roses. We started out with just the favors and then I came up with the grand idea of making 7 kimono silk purses . I know, I'm crazy, but they were so beautiful! Then we couldn't figure out what to put the soap roses in because they were so delicate, so I made origami paper boxes.

Of course, we had to follow tradition (not Japan's, but Arizona's) and make a pinata. It was a cat's paw for some reason. Pinatas are fun to have, but it is time consuming because I don't buy them and I am always trying to figure out a different way to make them every year. Usually, I make them indestructible which is not really the point with a pinata. I would have given up the tradition a few years ago, but Siena loves it so much. I don't know if Spencer or Lily will ever get one though.

So the day of the party, I busily clean my house, go shopping, make the paper boxes and get another inspiration to make paper scrolls with Japanese writing on them. So minutes before the party, I was throwing those together. It's crazy, but I get caught up in it. At 4:40pm I was frantic because people were going to start arriving and I was still hanging things up, but Siena reminded me that it started at 6:00pm not 5:00pm, so I stopped screaming at everybody and calmed down.

When Paul's mom was visiting in August, she and Siena had made cute little paper kimonos to string up, but we couldn't remember where we put them. I finally found them after everyone was already here, so I hung those up, too. It was then that I realized I went way overboard because just those would have been beautiful enough.

The girls ate tons of junk, watched Japanese Studio Ghibli movies, and played lots of games.

Unfortunately, I had to do the Heimlich maneuver on one of the girls when tootsie rolls got stuck in her throat. It was scary for everyone, but afterwards they all continued to have fun. Most of them got 2 hours or less of sleep so Saturday and Sunday were spent recuperating.

When next year rolls around, somebody come tie my hands together and whisper a little reminder in my ear to go bowling or to a movie.

Summer canning

This summer I canned some chicken. Siena loves it so much that I decided I should make some more while chicken was on sale. I have great friends who loaned me their pressure cookers.

A few years ago I canned some peaches that were heavenly. Much better than anything you can get from the store. I will have to do that again as I save up jars and find some good sales. The problem with canning is that it is such hard work, it's time consuming, and it is so hot. Too bad fruits and vegetables only ripen in the heat of the summer.

Family room update

I continue to look for a coffee table and end tables, but I still haven't found anything that's perfect. However, I have gotten curtains, throw pillows and a lamp that I really like. Here's a picture of half the room, the other half of the couch has laundry all over it so I avoided that side of the room. Spencer and his friend Keith wanted to pose for the picture. Here's the lamp up close. The lamp shade is beautiful. The paper is woven together so it makes little squares.

I still don't know what to do with the kitchen window. Any ideas? The picture is lame. I couldn't make the flash work.

Throne for a Queen

Lily has been upgraded from Princess to Queen status simply by getting a new throne (wheelchair). This new chair is big and cushy and Lily loves it. She knows she is royalty. Look at these smiles.

How fast can you type?

36 words

Speed test

I'm so lame. I need to practice some more.

I'm so sneaky :)

hehe hi its siena writing- yes i know i have my own blog but i just wanted to let you know that i am writing on my blog again! Bye!

Lily, Kitty, and Spencer, too

Blue Bella loves Lily's wheelchair and if Lily happens to be sitting in it, then hey, that's ok too, particularly if Lily has just eaten and smells like sweet milk. Lily doesn't mind. I think she likes the company and she thinks Bella's fur feels soft. But let's not forget about Spencer. He likes to be included, too.