Contacts

Becca has been wanting contacts for a while but I wasn't sure if she could handle taking care of them. I finally decided to let her give it a try for her birthday and brought her to a surprise optomotrist appointment while we were at Costco. She did great and hasn't had any problems at all in the past month and a half! Her eyes are even more beautiful now that they aren't hidden. I always told her she was pretty with her braces and glasses, but I guess she didn't believe me. She told me she has now been "denerdified". Is that a word?

Becca's Bday

Fujian has been Becca's favorite restaurant since we discovered it about 5 years ago.

My brother Brian and his wife Leeandra came to help when I had my hip surgery so they were here to celebrate Becca's 12th birthday. She was so glad they could come too.

I can't believe Becca is in Young Womens now and she looks so grown up. What a wonderful daughter and blessing she is!

Becca's 11th Birthday Party

Becca had a luau party yesterday for her 11th birthday. I made sarongs for everyone and the girls all swam, ate snacks and played games. Several of the kids asked if we were going to play pass the parcel, a game we always play but almost didn't this year, and I was so glad I had scrambled to Target to get a Webkinz and wrapped it 12 times after work! Kyra was just saying how in all the years she has been coming to Becca's party she had never won, then the music stopped and she unwrapped the last layer. Surprise!

Becca had wanted to have a sleep over but since we had to be at 3 of our 4 soccer games by 7:30am today, I told her we could do a long party instead...

3-9pm...that was long.

I made Hawaiian Haystacks for dinner, then the girls had cake and ice cream. It's funny, the easier the cake, the more the kids seem to like it. They actually ate every scrap of it! We were going to watch movie after dinner but the girls wanted to swim again and play on the tire swing and trampoline, so we went back outside until 8:15 when a very nice but tired neighbor came over to say the kids were too loud! So, we came in and watched the very first episode of Gilligan's Island. We love that show but most of the girls hadn't heard of it and one of them asked how long it was going to stay black and white. They all ended up giggling their heads off.

I miss my Becca!

She's gone. Well, not gone, but away for a week. Every year the 5th graders at Indian Valley go to Camp Loma Mar in Half Moon Bay for "Environmental Camp". Since Andy and Alaina already went a few years ago, I wasn't really thinking about how Becca's absence would effect me. We wrote letters to her that she'll get daily, but other than that there is no parental interaction allowed. They have camp staff and the teachers stay for the
week also, but the kids can't call home and we can't visit. So, for five days they indoctrinate your child on how to save trees (no paper towels, sparing use of toilet paper, and NO real Christmas trees, etc.) and for five days you have one less child at home.
Becca has always been what people call a "firecracker" or "sparkplug". She is such a great helper and makes friends every where she goes. I love her infectious giggle and that we can have fun doing the silliest things together. (Like running on a mad dash through Target!) Often she leaves notes from a magic elf that the dishwasher has been unloaded or some things have been put away...I miss that, too! Becca has always had a mischievous sparkle in her eyes, just like my dad, and you know something is going to be entertaining if she is involved in it.
So, tomorrow Becca comes home and I will be so happy to see her. I can't wait for her eyes to light up when she sees the REAL Christmas tree, all decorated and ready for the holidays. More on that in the next post.