April Birthdays

April seems to be the beginning of the busy season for birthdays in our family and circle of friends. I think I've already forgotten to give recognition to some of the lonesome birthdays that fell in the last couple of months...but I'll try to keep up.

My best friend Val turned 30 this month! Her husband threw her a memorable 'Murder Mystery' birthday party. It was so much fun. Here is Val and I on her birthday party night. Oh, and that pink hat and scarf Vals wearing...I knit them.

Our niece Sarah's daughter Yareli turned 1 in April Our nephew Brandon turned 8

Armando's sister Eva had a birthday in April and my brother Tim turned 40. Hope I'm not forgetting anyone.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY APRIL BABIES!

Whole World Dance

What's Cookin'?

Esperanza loves to help me cook in the kitchen. She helps me scramble eggs in the morning, mixes things in a bowl when I'm making muffins or pancakes, pours spices, adds raisins to our oatmeal...anything to help cook. And when we aren't cooking something real, Esperanza is often found cooking in her own little kitchen.
My sister Geneva gave Esperanza Anycia's wooden kitchen and all the fixins that go with it before she moved back to Ohio (Thank you, thank you, thank you Geneva and Anycia!!!) and it is by far her favorite thing to play with lately. She cooks pizza and serves it on plates to me, Armando, her dolls/stuffed animals, the neighbors, and anyone else that is around. It's so cute when she opens up the oven door, looks at me and says 'hot'. I may have to knit her some little oven mitts so she doesn't burn her hands while taking out the pizza.
I gave the other play kitchen we had to my mom so Esperanza has a kitchen over there to cook with when she visits Grandma. For now, the wooden kitchen is on our front porch until I get some Spring cleaning done inside the house. It'll be nice to have it in the real kitchen so she can 'cook' while I'm cooking.

And here she is with her stuffed friends after they helped her cook

Swimsuit Grin

Here's Esperanza giddy about going in the pool at our nephew Brandon's birthday party last Friday. This was her first time in a pool and she was so excited...as if you can't tell from her super cheesy smile. I couldn't make myself get into a pool filled with chlorine and 20+ kids, but Mando was more than happy to. They both had a great time in the pool while I sat on the other side of the window and took pictures.
I'll post more pictures of Brandon and his party later, but this one just couldn't wait...

Unknown Fan...Naomi?

Not too long ago I added a 'live traffic feed' to my blog. All this means is that I can see who is viewing my blog and when. Well, not specifically who, but it gives me a little information about the whereabouts of people who go to my blog site. Some of my other blogger friends have this same thing and/or have even made their site private because they've had some privacy issues and inappropriate comments left. I haven't had any serious problems but figured I'd add it just for fun. I'm really hoping this doesn't discourage my readers from coming to my page, I really don't care who or how often someone views my blog. And to tell you the truth, I don't get a lot of traffic anyways...most of my readers are family who receive my posts as emails.

However, I have noticed that someone from Beverly Hills, California has been visiting my site occassionally over the past several weeks. I don't know anyone in Beveryly Hills, CA but I do have a sister someplace within that vicinity of California. At least that was the last known place she was many years ago. I can't help but have this little bit of hope that maybe she found my blog and reads it...

If you are reading this Naomi, please let us know somehow and someway that you are okay. We love you and miss you more than you can imagine. I don't want to leave phone numbers or addresses on my site, since it is public. But you can email me hanukkahg@hotmail.com or even leave a comment on my blog.

If some other random person in California found by blog and just thinks it's interesting, thats fine, keep on reading I suppose. But, if you happen to cross paths with my sister while you're out and about in L.A., please tell her she is loved.

Easter Sunday

Though yesterday wasn't Esperanza's first Easter, it was her first time experiencing an Easter egg hunt. Dressed in her rubber boots, pretty dress and fuzzy sweater, Esperanza searched our little back yard Easter morning for eggs that the Easter Bunny filled with goodies and treasures. After she found all the eggs, I told her the Easter Bunny left her something in her room also. We rushed inside and went to her room where she found a little basket filled with more gifts from the Easter Bunny; a purple play silk, toddler sized garden tools, bubbles, a chocolate bunny, a lolipop and some beautiful felted eggs. She loved the bubbles so much that the candy was quickly forgotten about and hasn't been brought up since!

Really mama, you're letting me eat candy? Daddy helping her find the eggs
Mmm, yummy!While they didn't impress Esperanza as much as the candy did, these wet felted eggs I made the night before are so lovely.

Later that day we went to my moms house for dinner. She cooked a turkey and we had all kinds of other yummy food to go along with it. The only thing we were missing was George. He is in the hospital (again) and it didn't feel right without him there. We are all hoping he gets well enough to come home soon.

Mary cutting the turkey

Esperanza sitting on the island eating the dinner roll dough and waiting oh so patiently for dinner