My most awesome husband Jerry and I used to take our kids to the lake several times a week during the summer. On the weekends Lake Mission Viejo would be wall to wall kids and their parents, all looking for a few hours of fun. We would stake out our little piece of sand, sit back in our collapsable chairs and set the boys free!

Jason loved the water, his boogie board, and most of all making sand castles. He would spend hours playing at the lake, leaving me with wonderful memories of watching him so deep in his creative world.

Matt loved both the water and his sand creations, I think most of all though he loved being in the water with his boogie board. I’ll always remember his joyfullness while playing there.

Jill, her husband Steve, and their 2 boys Patrick & Alex used to join us at the Lake. They’ve all grown up to be such handsome guys and this photo is one that brings all those youthfull times back as if were yesterday.

Now the crying kids at the beach aren’t ours. The sand throwing, the screams, the laughter, even the kids rolling down the grassy hill are all distant memories for Jill and I. Instead we try to tune that out, and when that doesn’t work, we just move further down the beach, where there are no small footprints in the sand and our thoughts can linger for just a while longer on relaxation. ahhhh…….

L to R -Lauren (Greg and Doreen’s youngest daughter), Doreen (Greg’s kind and funny wife!), Sylvia (John’s super sweet wife), Aunt Lou (smart and big of heart), me (looking chunky and older than I’d like), and Amy (John and Sylvia’s daughter).

Following an awesome feast and visit with my family in San Diego, Jerry, Matt, and I headed back to Mission Viejo, where Matt collected Ms Yuki who been waiting patiently for our return, and headed back to his place. Once Matt and Ms Yuki were on their way home Jerry and I headed over to our long time friends Steve and Jill. A delicious dinner was enjoyed at their house, followed by a small celebration for their youngest son Alex’s 22nd birthday!

It’s hard to believe Alex is 22 years old. Jill, Steve, Jerry and I have been celebrating our children’s birthday’s together since Alex and Patrick were wee little folk! Up next for a birthday celebration? Matt in June, who will turn 28! Yikes!

I hate to admit it yet I will. I play FarmVille on Facebook. I am slightly addicted to it. Some might say I’m hugely addicted to it. I would disagree by saying I used to be, hugely addicted to it. Lately I’m losing interest in it due to the fact Zynga hasn’t introduced anything new to the game in some time and it has become stale. I still play but only because I AM NO QUITTER! I started playing FarmVille because it is an escape for me. I can relax with my laptop, visit with the friends I have made while playing the game and not think about things. Several of my friends play this game, 1 from high school, several who live in other states, even my sister. I’ve also made new friends, friends of friends, who as it has turned out have some of the same health conditions that I do. This has made the game a little more special because we end up chatting about our lives while we plow each other fields, or share our collections of farm tools. So in honor of all that is FarmVille I made this card and bought 2 little wind up toys at Michaels Crafts Store. Fun and silly. Yup, kind of sums up part of what is me.

Karen’s husband Terry also joined in the festivities, shown in a more subdued un Disney-like moment! (jk).

Patrick, being his usual fun self, decided to keep the party lively by shooting off straw papers. Pat sent some flying herself, but thankfully that wasn’t documented by the family photographer, Pat and Jerry’s son Matt.

Jill’s other half/husband Steve and their youngest son Alex were also at the table, as was Pat’s husband Jerry, although he managed to stay outside the cameras range.

The most excellent waitress who served our table caught wind of the birthday festivities and brought a chocolate cake to Pat and Patrick. Matt being the ever great son and photographer snapped off a nice pic of his mom. Thanks son!

Back at the house another cake was lit to the point of fire while Matt took more mandatory photos for the albums!

Again Patrick being the comedian, kept us laughing while Matt kept snapping. sweet

And yes Yuki was front and center whether she liked it or not, while everyone gathered round while presents were opened.

I’d like to send out a big thank you to my most awesome family, my husband who’s always there for me, through ups and downs no questions asked always supporting me, and my son Matt, who is a 1 in a million son. My friends are awesome too, thank you everyone for a wonderful bd that stretched beyond 1 day, and meant a lot to me. Patrick, I loved sharing it with you. We might have started a tradition. Next year we could celebrate ours on your day! (thus putting off getting another year older for a few more weeks!)

As always my visit’s with good friends Steve and Beth are full of love and laughter. This time was no exception. As I grow older I appreciate so much of what my friends have to offer me in the way of companionship, wisdom and grace. Or not! ha! Looking back to a time when Beth and I were in our 30′s or even late 40′s and our families were still young we seemed to have endless energy to run errands or garden till we dropped. Now adays it’s more about quality time together and thinking about doing these things. It isn’t that we don’t try it’s just that there is a lot more grunts and groans and yes even humor at our klutzyness as we try. Steve, Beth’s other and sometimes better half is an equal partner and becoming very close to my heart. We enjoy the same TV shows, have the same sense of humor and love of all things tools. I always enjoy visiting with their children, they youngest son Luke shown here with Tinkerbell loving Diana beside him. It has been a long friendship, one that I treasure with each passing year. One that grows and grows and never seems to stop showing me what true love of family is like.

This Master Geneaologist and Acting Assistant Library Administrator has a green thumb both in and out of the books. Wow! Her favorite type of flower is geraniums, the brighter the better. I”m not sure who is the luckier one, her family, her garden or I!