Monday, July 27, 2009 Sweet Sixteen
Last Thursday, my daughter, Alyssa, turned 16. The night before, I hijacked her blog, Life of Faith :). I made some changes to her blog's template (Doesn't her blog look sweet?), wrote a birthday post on her blog listing 16 reasons why I think she is such a sweet and special daughter, and asked relatives and friends to leave comments for her. She was very pleasantly surprised!
On Friday, Alyssa's close friends came to have a sleepover at our home. My sister in law (Alyssa's aunt) also stayed overnight with us. We watched Pride and Prejudice (the short version). We laughed so much...you would think it's a comedy, not a drama :).
On Saturday, more relatives came to attend her Sweet Sixteen Party. Games we played included: Sweet Target (shooting a target using a potato gun (shoots out potato pellets)...aiming for #16 or a combination of numbers added up to 16 within 3 attempts), Sweet Soak (relay game...the first person of each team walked to fill up a cup with water and walked back with a cup on his/her head...then dumped the water on the next person in line and gave the cup to that person...then this person repeated the same thing) , Sweet Verses (Each team had to put together puzzles which are 16 pieces of paper into 3 correct Bible verses containing the word "sweet" or "honey" (ex: Psalm 119:103, Ecclesiastes 5:12, Proverbs 13:19, 16:24, 24:14, 25:27), and Sweet Present (we usually called it, "Hot Present" but I changed it to "Sweet Present" for this party :)...I played the song, Sweeter Than Honey (Psalm 19:8-10) while the kids passed around the present that was wrapped in multi-layers. Each time I paused the music, the person who had the present read aloud a quote (containing the word "sweet") that I attached to the wrapper and ripped open that wrapper. When it got to the last wrapper, the person got to keep the present (which was sweet...chocolate)). After the games, we sang Happy Birthday to Alyssa and after my hubby gave thanks to the Lord for the blessed 16 years we've had with her, we all enjoyed the yummy Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake, the blueberry pie, the marionberry coffeecake, ice cream bars, ice cream sandwiches, ice cream sundae cones, snickerdoodle cookies, grapes, honey roasted peanuts, BBQ chips, Cheetos Puff, crackers and cheese. Then it was time to open presents. Alyssa received many thoughtful gifts such as cash (she's saving up to buy a laptop), colorful matching blanket and pillow, towel, lap desk, mug and notepad set. Her 10 year old brother gave her a rock with his writing, "Alyssa, You Rock". Her 7 year old brother gave her a button that on one side, he colored the picture of a frog (F.R.O.G. = Fully Rely On God) and has a mirror on the other side. My husband and I gave her a purity ring (I wrote her a poem to go with it), a book, A Young Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George, Sweet 16 plaque (I arranged her favorite chocolate into the number 16), and some cash (to go toward the laptop). After the "official" party time, all the boys and my husband played basketball. Then we played Heart Attack (card game) and Whoonu. We gave out the goodie bags which were filled with 16 goodies. We had such a sweet time celebrating our Sweetie's Sweet Sixteen! |
•
Comments (0)
• Post A Comment!
• Permanent Link
|
Saturday, December 13, 2008 December 12, 2008
Yesterday was my 40th birthday. I had a wonderful, relaxing day filled with love (and chocolates, too :)). I received lots of hugs and kisses. Several friends on Facebook and the Homeschool Lounge left me sweet birthday greetings. My 10 year old son played Chinese checkers, Mancala, and Battle ship with me. My 7 year old son nibbled a piece of ham into a heart shape for me (isn't that sweet?)  My daughter made me this beautiful ring.  My sweetheart gave me a gorgeous heart-shaped blue topaz pendant on a white gold necklace. I love heart-shaped stuff :). In the evening, we (the whole family) went to see A Christmas Carol (with a twist) performed by the international students at George Fox University's English Language Institute. Some of our Taiwanese friends were part of the cast. I enjoyed singing the Christmas songs they sang between scenes. We sang God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen, The First Noel, Angels From the Realms of Glory, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Away in a Manger, Silent Night! Holy Night!, O Little Town of Bethlehem, In the Bleak Mid-Winter, What Child is This?, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, O Come, All Ye Faithful, Angels We Have Heard on High. We all had a great time.
I (okay not only for me) also was blessed to see the brightest, biggest moon of the year on my birthday :). 
 However, the more significant blessing to me was that the Lord kept my husband safe. Yesterday around 5:30 p.m., a bomb exploded in the city where he works. In fact, he was only 1 mile away when it happened. The sad thing is: the city's police chief whom my husband personally knows got hurt and is in critical condition; two police officers died...the wife of one works with my husband. Their families and the police chief are in our thoughts and prayers. This birthday is certainly an unforgettable one.
|
•
Comments (1)
• Post A Comment!
• Permanent Link
|
Saturday, October 11, 2008 Fabulicious (Fabulous + Delicious) Day
The Lord blessed us with fabulous weather today as we celebrated our boys' birthday (one turned 10 yesterday and the other turned 7 today). It was wonderful to visit with our relatives and friends. The kids and teens had fun doing a nature hunt, flying disc croquet (using wire hangers and small frisbees), and hot present. After that, the boys opened their presents. We gave our 10 yo son Boyhood and Beyond (by Bob Schultz), The New Encyclopedia of American Birds (this son is a birdlover), an international flags shirt, and basketball cards. We gave our 7 yo son the Cranium Word Worm Book of Outrageous Fun, Grip-Rite Throw-N-Splash, Wheelee Ball, and basketball cards. My daughter/their sister gave Birding Oregon to her 10 yo brother and a Swiss army knife to her 7 yo brother. From friends and relatives, the boys received birdfeeders, birdhouses, books, cash, more basketball cards, Seahawks hooded jackets, Snorta (game), Pylos (game), Thredz Flex, and a swordfish figurine from Hawaii. After the "present time," it was time for yummies. Delicious treats included German chocolate cake, strawberry swirl/vanilla wafer fun ice cream cake (wow...that's a long name), Samoas ice cream, Cookies-n-Cream ice cream, cinnamon sugar cake donut holes, oatmeal raisin cookies, sun chips, and crackers. Then some of us went out to play basketball. When we were done with basketball, we came inside and played Apples to Apples. Even after the guests left...my husband, kids, and I continued to play :) with all the new toys.
I'm so thankful for my two little men who love God & family, who are each other's best buddies, who have a beautiful & grateful heart, and who are growing closer to Jesus each day. |
•
Comments (0)
• Post A Comment!
• Permanent Link
|
Saturday, October 13, 2007 Game Night and Party Day
Last night, we hosted another game night for the international students. We invited our homeschool friends to join us, too. We were introduced to 2 new students from South Korea. We had a delightful time playing foosball, Apples to Apples, Whoonu, and Charades. We're so glad that they felt at home here and that we helped ease their homesickness a bit. One of the students told us more than once that spending time with our family made her so happy. They all love our kids :). Speaking of our kids, after the church service tonight...as we were leaving, someone (we don't know her) came to tell us that she's so impressed with how well-behaved our kids were. How true 1Timothy 4:12 is!!!
Today we had a birthday party for our two birthday boys (see the Wordless Wednesday post on Oct. 10th). The weather was beautiful so we played games outside. We played Jelly Bean Hunt, Bean Counter Relay, Broken Down Car Race, and Rocket Launching. Instead of a traditional birthday cake, our middle pumpkin (9 year old son) picked a pumpkin cheesecake, and our youngest pumpkin (6 year old son) picked a pumpkin pie. My husband and I did the frosting writing ourselves. They came out okay (barely) :). We also had ice cream bars, ice cream sundae cones, ice cream sandwiches, varieties of crackers, jalapeno & garlic hummus dip, varieties of chips and grapes.
Our birthday boys were showered with piles of presents. Our 9 year old son received a box of Topps 2006-07 NBA trading cards, a Tim Duncan jersey card, 3 Zoo Life videos, an all star sports pillowcase, Discovery Toys' Bankit, a cowboy gun playset (plastic balls, ball shooter, and plastic barrels for targets), collectible coins, money, candies, marbles, an air pump powered missile, a DVD titled, "Discovering Nature's Beauty", a wooden bubble blower made from red oak, bouncy balls, an Oregon State mini-football, and a beautiful book called, "Oregon: A Photographic Collection." Our 6 year old son received a box of Topps 2006-07 NBA trading cards, a LeBron James jersey card, 3 Zoo Life videos, books and a read-along CD, candies, a wooden bubble blower, a cowboy gun playset, an Oregon State mini-football, Jenga, Brain Benders (3 solid wood puzzles), a box of illusion show kit, bouncy balls, money, and a DVD titled, "Strangers in the Woods." I didn't realize it would take 12 lines to list all their presents (yikes!) We all had a wonderful time visiting with relatives and friends. The two birthday boys are so thrilled with and thankful for all the great gifts. My husband and I are very thankful to the Lord for blessing us with these two terrific sons. |
•
Comments (1)
• Post A Comment!
• Permanent Link
|
Monday, July 23, 2007 Happy 14th Birthday, My Sweet Girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today, my little girl turns 14! Fourteen years ago, this precious blessing came into the world prematurely (about 5 weeks early). She weighed only 4 lbs. 5 1/2 oz. She had to stay in the hospital for 18 days before we could bring her home. Those days were the most difficult 18 days of my life. My husband and I were so excited about our first baby but saddened at the same time because we couldn't have her with us and her health was unstable. We prayed and prayed for her and we visited her everyday. It was terribly difficult and heart-wrenching when we had to leave her at the end of each day. However, we knew the whole time that she was in God's hand (the best place to be)! We're so very thankful that the Lord has been graciously blessing and protecting our daughter. If you see her today, you will never guess that she was born prematurely. She's healthy and quite tall. What a blessing she has been to all who get to know her!!! She loves the Lord with all her heart, all her soul, and all her mind. And her life shows that! She diligently hides God's Word in her heart. She always strives to please God. She is a kind of girl whom every (esp. Christian) parent would want their daughter to have as a friend :). God has given her wisdom and discernment. She has a compassion for the needy, the oppressed, the unreached, and the unborn. JoJo, the owner of ArtofEloquence, gave my daughter the Purple Crayon Award in May of this year for her speech, "Choose Life." Earlier this year locally she won $50 for a writing contest. She not only is beautiful inside and outside but also funny and clever. She scores at 99th percentile on all her standardized tests. She's very responsible with her schoolwork. She has been making a monthly e-newsletter called, "Integrity Newsletter" for our family and friends. She's self-taught, self-motivated, and self-disciplined. Can you tell we're so proud of her? :) We give all praises to God for raising her to be such a Godly young lady!!! "...but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,' declares the Lord." Jeremiah 9:24
On Saturday, we had a birthday party for her. We started off with a treasure hunt. The kids (7) had to solve 14 rhyming clues that I made up. They did really well in spite of occasional head-scratchings :). Some clues were harder than others. They finally found the treasures (chocolate coins and their goodie bags filled with cool stuff and treats). After that, we played "charades." Each team had 14 words (summer-related) to act out. What a blast! Even Grandpa got into it giving answers left and right :). Then it was time for yummies. We served fruit swirled cheesecakes (peach, lemon, strawberry, wild berry), raspberry Danish ring, Snickers ice cream, chocolate-covered ice cream bars, sundae cones, and ice cream sandwiches. Snacks included toffee nuts, variety of chips, cheese & crackers, pretzels, cocoa Chex mix, vanilla wafers, jellybeans, and chocolate mints. Next was time to open presents. The birthday girl received books, money, jewelry, Precious Moments figurine, socks, and sketch drawing supplies. We gave her an Elsie Dinsmore book (#2), a Laylie Colbert book (#1) (both are from a Life of Faith series), a DVD, The League of Grateful Sons, produced by Vision Forum (she has a strong interest in World War II), and $14 (every year we give her the amount that's equal to her age). She has been saving money for college. I can't believe my little girl is going to be a high-schooler this year. Okay..back to the party, lastly we played Whoonu (a Cranium game where you guess each other's favorite things). This game is lots of fun and you get to know one another better. We discovered fun surprises even about ourselves when we have to decide which one we like more :) (eg. bookstores or chocolate cake?) Decisions...decisions...a dilemma for me :)!
Well, the birthday girl and I are going to make a chocolate chip cheesecake together to celebrate her actual birthday! Sweet treat for my sweet girl! |
•
Comments (4)
• Post A Comment!
• Permanent Link
|
Saturday, October 7, 2006 Double-the-Fun Birthday Party
Oh boy...oh boy...what a fun-filled day we had! Today we had a birthday party for our boys (one will turn 8 on the 10th and the other will turn 5 on the 11th). There were 6 kids, 2 teenagers, and 6 adults altogether. We played "Dinosaur Hunt," "Candy Toss," "Drop a Marker Cap (instead of a clothespin) in a Vase," "Pin (Stick) a Nose (smiley sticker) on the Clown," "Hot Present," and "Coin Search in a Sand Box." The kids (and yes, my darling husband, too) had a blast playing the games. In addition, my forever-young & active husband played basketball with the kids. They had a ball! After the party, some of us played football, bouncy balls, and then badminton until dark.
Parties wouldn't be complete without yummy treats, right? Well, we got chocolate cheesecake, white chocolate raspberry ice cream pie, brownie mudpie ice cream, crackers, chips, and gummy worms. Everybody's tummy was happy :). We're blessed with a beautiful weather today (quite rare in October in Oregon). Usually, we have to have the boys' party inside because it's too cold/too wet outside  . But this year it's different; we did most of our activities in our backyard. It was great!
However, we did our "present time" inside. Our soon-to-be 8 yo son received a cool wristwatch, a stack of coin collection books with several half-dollar coins, lots of great books, a basketball (to be shared with his brother), a rocket football, money, a frog that sings & dances, a video ("God's Earth Team" by Moody Institute), special marbles, and a copy of a drawing from a friend. Our soon-to-be 5 yo son received a baseball badminton set, a huge green hairy ball, lots of great books, Gobblet game, Blink game, Total It game, Buzztime Kids Trivia game, a rocket football, a basketball (same one to share with his brother), money, a turtle that sings & dances, and special marbles. Both boys remembered to say thank-yous to everyone. They truly appreciated all the guests and all the gifts. They showed good sportmanship and they cheered others to do well during games. They don't mind sharing a birthday party every year, either. We're so proud of them! Our sons are wonderful blessings from the Lord; they're unique and special in their own ways. Two boys do double the fun (and keep us on our toes...and knees, too)!  Never a dull moment...for sure  .
"All your sons will be taught by the Lord, and great will be your children's peace." Isaiah 54:13
|
•
Comments (8)
• Post A Comment!
• Permanent Link
|
Sunday, July 23, 2006 Happy 13th Birthday to My Delightful, Darling Daughter!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today (Sunday) is the day my daughter officially turns 13. Thirteen years ago, the Lord blessed us with a precious bundle of joy! He has been blessing us through that bundle of joy ever since. As I mentioned in my earlier post, we planned a Double Delight Birthday Party for our delightful, darling daughter. Well, we did it and we all had a blast (more like double blast!)
On Friday, we had a sleepover party for her and her friends. First, we went out to do a scavenger hunt in our neighborhood. The girls loved it! We gave each team a list of 13 items to collect by asking door to door (only 1 item per house is allowed) within a time limit (about 4o minutes, instead of 1 hour that we planned for... due to the really hot temperature that evening). They're under our watchful eyes the whole time and our neighborhood is probably the safest one in our city. They received one point for each item and three bonus points could be earned by telling a joke or singing a song. The team that won (got 10 points)...won by telling a joke :). The other team got 8 points. A close match!
When we came back home, we enjoyed popsicles/creamsicles and blueberries. Next, my daughter opened the presents she received from her friends. The majority was books and sweet treats (two of her favorite things). After that, the girls played a variation of hide-and-seek games in the dark. Lots of shrieking & screaming and running & tumbling! Then we had a late-night snack break. We had trail mix, Oreo cookies, and ice cream (2 kinds: Chocolate Crunch and Raspberry Chocolate Chip). Before getting ready for bed (actually sleeping bag in this case), the girls played charades. The girls were quite creative... sometimes too creative! How do you act out "verb" or "Dewey decimal system"?
On Saturday our relatives came to join us. The kids and some adults played Capture the Flag. Then we competed (for the best/least time) on going through an obstacle course. This competition involved not only running, but also golfing skill with a foam noodle for a club, going-down- the-huge slide skill, balancing skill on cement retaining wall, skipping through different loop made by twisty garden hose, jumping over recycling bins, and basketball skill. The kids did really well (that meant no injuries  ). Some adults also had fun trying (my hubby in particular ). In fact, he got the best time over all even with a limping foot (he hurt his ankle during a basketball game on Friday at work). Both young and old participants had tons of fun. The spectators also had a great time cheering and laughing.
Then it's "present time." My daughter received many nice (useful) gifts. She was very thankful and glad. She told me later that the gifts from us are her favorite ones. We gave her a complete set (8) of Millie Keith books (a Life of Faith series--my daughter's favorite series). We also gave her a cool waste basket full of goodies (sandals, hair accessories, candy bowl filled with a variety of chocolates, and a walnut picture frame with her beautiful picture inside). On the picture frame I put her name on the bottom and the phrase "A Life of Faith" on the top. I also made a special scrapbook for her. On the front cover, I used gold letterings to say this: A Life of Faith (on the top), starring (in the middle), my daughter's full name (at the bottom). I just wanted to do something special for her because she's very special to us. And she is indeed living a life of faith!
After the "present time," we had chocolate cake truffle  , ice cream, watermelon, and the big hit: dirt dessert (using Oreo cookies' crumbs, not real dirt) with worms (gummy worms). It looked yucky but it tasted yummy!
Wow...what a Double Delight Party! My daughter thanked us for the best birthday party and gifts she's ever had (she feels this way every year). Hmmm...this one is going to be tough to top :). I don't dare dreaming about what a Triple Terrific Party would be like! Well, it's the thought that counts, right?
|
•
Comments (9)
• Post A Comment!
• Permanent Link
|
Thursday, July 20, 2006 Taking Time Out for Party Planning
Our daughter will turn 13 this Sunday. Our firstborn baby has grown into a beautiful, Godly young lady! Our delightful daughter deserves Double Delight Birthday Party! We will have a sleepover party on Friday night for her and her friends. Then on Saturday morning, we will have the official birthday party with relatives and friends. I won't be blogging for a few days because party planning and preparation take "time." :)
|
•
Comments (0)
• Post A Comment!
• Permanent Link
|
|
