Twilight Movie

Wow, I'm a total teenager at heart! Either that or I just love romance, period. I absolutely loved the movie, even though it seemed chopped to pieces compared to the book. Of course, movies can hardly compare to books because with books, you know what the character is thinking and movies have a time restraint... but with this movie, they did a fairly good job. How weird is it that I actually got giddy in places (of course, I first watched it by myself, so I allowed myself to get giddy where if I watched it with someone else, I wouldn't have) and could feel my heart swell with the love and passion the two characters shared.

The book and movie took me back 14 years when I first fell in love with Kamal. Those emotions and the way I felt about him were just so strong. I would do ANYTHING to be with him and would follow him ANYWHERE. It worried my family so much because we got married so quickly, 20 days from the day we met. But I knew and he knew that we were meant to be and we were such fools in love. Now, I can't imagine my life without him. I know God hand picked him just for me as he is exactly what my soul was searching for and we have so many things in common. I can't thank God enough for the partner he paired me up with.

Twilight and New Moon

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this book so much! I'm a really big fan of vampire books anyways and to throw an incredible romance into the picture, I was hooked. Because everything was so new for both characters, Edward and Bella's romance was so genuine and heartfelt.

The author did a great job tying in the emotions of each character and explaining out everything that happened. I liked this so that I wasn't left in the dark. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to read New Moon.

View all my reviews.


New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I couldn't believe the way this book started because I liked the Edward character so much, but I see now, why it was essential to the story line. Although, I liked the relationship between Edward and Bella, I really liked the development of the character Jacob and the relationship between him and Bella.

I enjoyed it so much and can't wait to read Eclipse, the next book in the series.

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Ava's 3rd Birthday Party

This is the birthday girl, Ava.

We had such a great time with friends today celebrating Ava's 3rd birthday. Ava's mommy, Belinda had so many fun activities for the kids to do that were all butterfly themed and they had a blast just playing on the new fort. As soon as we got there, the kids went to playing on the playscape and chasing poor Frank and Luna (the dogs) all over the place, especially Austin. He just loves dogs!



The first game the kids played was "Put the Dot on the Butterfly". Once they finished, they received a prize, which was a little apron with butterflies on them... awesome, considering I don't have proper aprons for them at home and Danny is constantly wanting to borrow mine.

Next, it was time to eat and get butterfly stamps on the hand. The kids ate hot dogs, chips and coke with watermelon, cantelope, strawberries and blackberries on the side. It was perfect for the kids and adults alike.



The next game was called "The Butterfly Catch" in which the young ones got to hunt for paper, laminated butterflies with butterfly nets. The kids had a blast trying to find the butterflies hidden all over the yard. Austin got so many and was so happy when he learned that he would be able to keep the net and the butterflies. How fun!



The final game they played was "Hitting the Pinata". We were supposed to leave early as Kamal had an appointment to go to and was waiting for us, but I just couldn't drag Danny away until after he got his turn at the pinata. They had a lot of fun whacking that thing and talk about tons of candy! It was GOOD candy even... tons of Crunch bars, Krackel bars, Mr. Goodbars, etc., etc., etc.

Thanks so much Belinda, Charles, Sean, David and Ava for having us over for this perfect birthday. Ava, we wish you a wonderful year of being 3!

Friday at the Park

We went to the sports complex park to let the kids play and Danny was so excited about it that he packed us a picnic. He put in crackers, banana bread, gogurts, and an orange. He insisted that we eat at a picnic table before we go have any fun. So, we did as he wished. It was so cute.

Before we played on the playground, we went for a little hike and continued to finish our picnic there. It was so clear and beautiful. We sat beside the creek and saw ducks and deer. The boys enjoyed it so much.

Painting Day for Austin

Today, Austin got to do some painting. First he drew pictures with puff paint. Then, we took out some of the finger paints and let him go to town. After that, he enjoyed painting with poster paints with a paint brush. He enjoyed it so much and made some very beautiful art pieces.

The Archives Again!

We were discussing bluebonnet pictures with my neighborhood group and I pulled up our Easter card for 2007. I just had to share it because the boys were so little! It was great times then. They were too small to cause too much trouble and never talked back... such a simpler time really.



Speaking of trouble and talking back, tonight Danny and I were doing his homework for tomorrow. He was doing really well tracing the letter "u" and even matched the "TUB" to the tub picture by drawing a line, then "BUS to the bus picture and the "SUN" to the sun picture. The next step was to color everything. I told him to color the pictures and he started to, then he turned to me and said "You color it!". I explained that he needed to turn it into Mrs. Gage in the morning and it was his homework, so he needed to do it. I walked to my computer for a brief second and when I had come back, he had scribbled ALL OVER THE HOMEWORK IN BLUE MARKER!!! Nothing was discernable and it was WAR!!! After he got into major trouble, we sat down and discussed the whole thing and he understood that if he ever does it again, there will be a price to pay.

Why do kids become possessed and do these things? Or is it just MY kids?

Fun Day, Stormy Day, Sunny Day

Today's weather was so weird. The weather started out well in the morning. The kids always have a habit of playing outside on the swingset as soon as they wake up. It was very relaxing and nice to let them play. Danny had to go to school at 11:40 so at 11:25, Danny, Austin and I sat outside on the front step (our ritual) and read a library book until the bus came.

My friend Zoe had a doctor's appointment, so she dropped off Melodee around 2:30 and Kamal and I walked to the school, pushing Melodee and Austin in the jogging stroller, to pick up Danny and Wendye. Once we got home, the kids had such fun playing outside and it was just gorgeous! It was a little overcast but dry and the temperature was just right. As the kids played, I spotted this huge, beautiful butterfly and I had to take a picture of it.

Then, we went in for snacks and Playdoh time. Zoe came around 4:15 to pick up the girls and the boys slipped back outside to play. When I checked on them next, it was just starting to rain, so I had them come inside. Shortly after that, I checked the news and it said that there was hail on the way and possibly a tornado. We heard the hail coming down, the thunder crashing and couldn't believe how loud and hard it was. The kids were amazed, to say the least.


Not even 30 minutes later, the sun came out and it was a gorgeous day again. Kamal went outside to check on the trees and plants to see if there was any damage. There was none that he could find, so we were lucky there. But such strange weather! Kind of cool and kind of scary at times.

Just Who Will You Be?

Just Who Will You Be? by Maria Shriver

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I enjoyed Maria's perspective in this book very much, especially during this hard economical time period for our country. With so many people being laid off and feeling that the world is ending (or at least their own personal world), she gave the reader hope that they can turn their own life around. The only question is Just Who Will You Be?

Also in the book, I know that she didn't mean to portray her children as mean little brats but I felt that they were very cruel to their mother. Of course they're teenagers, but still.

This was a very quick read and I enjoyed it a lot.

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Dragonfly Restaurant

Yesterday, we had a nice relaxing lunch at Dragonfly Restaurant. Funny thing is that we have been here three years, almost four in September and we never even thought about trying it but I'm so glad we did. It is one of our favorite places now and I can't wait to eat there again. The service was fast, friendly and courteous. A very enjoyable experience, even with the kids which make most eating out experiences a test of patience.

The way it happened is this. We got up, got dressed for church, started driving and realized there was really no point. By the time we would get to church, we would be over 30 minutes late. We stopped by Goodwill and found tons of movies and books for the kids for 99¢. After that, we stopped by two different pet stores so the kids could get their fix on animals without us having to buy one. By that time, we were all hungry and I was craving the North/South Chinese Buffet but Kamal said that he wouldn't be able to eat much and we should save that for a different time. Danny wanted Panda Express and kept asking to go to the mall. Kamal suggested that we go to CiCi's Pizza and only buy for me and the kids as he was not all that hungry and would eat when we got home. That was fine with me but not for Danny who insisted going to the mall. The only one quiet in this whole discussion was Austin because as far as he's concerned, he doesn't care where we eat as long as we eat something.

We decided to side with Danny because we would be destined to hear whining if we didn't. We walked into the mall and saw the sign to Dragonfly that said "Lunch Special - $5.95 any chicken meal". Kamal looked at me and asked if I'd like to try it and I said that would be fine, as I always wanted to try it. Kamal asked Danny and Danny's answer was to nod and walk right into the restaurant. Austin followed. It looks like we found a winner.

We ordered three specials: Cashew Chicken with fried rice, Sweet and Sour Chicken with fried rice and Almond Chicken with steamed brown rice. Each order came with an Imperial Roll and our choice of soup, so of course, we sampled all three: Won ton Soup, Hot and Sour Soup and Egg Drop Soup. Each of us had a Sprite and I was delighted to see that when the waiter brought out the orders, he also brought out plates so that it was family-style serving. Each of us could get what we wanted from each plate. Let me tell you, we all feasted! It was so good and the service was so quick. My kids didn't even really get a chance to drive me that crazy because they were busy eating. How wonderful is that?

At the end of the meal, we got fortune cookies and we let each person choose their own. Danny picked first, followed by Austin, then Kamal and that left me with the last one. I was amazed by the fortune each person got because it seemed to pertain directly to that person. Here are the fortunes:

Kamal - Accept the challenges, so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory.
Lachelle - A well fed romance nourishes the soul.
Danny - Engage in group activities that further transformation.
Austin - Accident is the mother of invention.

It was a great time. We went shopping in the mall a little afterward and ran into another pet adoption inside the mall. We also had to stop at Game Stop and The Disney Store and the kids came out with what they wanted. Overall, a FANTASTIC family day.

Snowstorm in the Bathroom

Have you ever been so mad that you wanted to scream, cry or yell but instead, you just had to laugh? Kamal and I experienced one of those moments last night. We were working on the new website really hard and I heard some movement upstairs that was kind of loud. I told Kamal that he probably needed to check that since I was in the middle of something. He said "Okay" but never went.

I could smell something really sweet and good but couldn't put my finger on it. Finally, after about 15 minutes, Kamal went up and I went to the restroom in our master bathroom. When I came out, Kamal called from upstairs saying, "Lachelle, you will want to see this." I told him that no, I wouldn't, because I had an idea that whatever mess they created would make me blazing mad. I told him that it was his fault for not checking when I told him too, so he would have to clean up the mess. He said, "Trust me, you'll want to see this!"

When I walked upstairs, I saw the kids with baby powder all over their clothes and hair, so I was expecting to see something all over the carpet and I was scared. But when I got up there, everything looked like normal mess... toys all over the floor, books everywhere, nothing out of the ordinary. But when Kamal opened up the bathroom door, a huge cloud of baby powder came bursting out. One look and I knew what had happened. Apparently, the kids got ahold of a baby powder container, that I'm not sure how got up there, and went crazy. They had made their own "Perfect Storm" and had been dancing in falling baby powder. It was EVERYWHERE, but luckily, they had the right sense to close the door so it was only in the bathroom.



We didn't want the kids to think what they did was alright, so we tried not to smile or laugh in front of them and were very stern. Kamal offered to clean up but I told him that it would be better if he could give the kids a bath as I cleaned it. He already has breathing problems and I didn't want to intensify that. We took a picture before the kids hopped into the tub and then I headed upstairs to clean. After I cleaned up the mess, my lungs were burning, even though we turned on all the fans and opened all the windows. It didn't take as long as I thought, just about 30 minutes and now that bathroom is sparkling! I had to take a break outside afterwards, just to get some oxygen in my lungs. I can't believe the kids were able to handle it as long as they did.

Here is the bathroom, all cleaned up and the way it is supposed to look. One good thing is the kids forced me to clean it extensively.



My wishes are that this never happens again. And whatever guest it was that left the baby powder in that bathroom, you OWE ME BIG!!!

Flowers, Just Because

The other day, I went for a walk and when I got back, there were some beautiful yellow roses waiting for me. Kamal, Danny and Austin had got them from our yard, put them in a glass vase and set them by the sink where I would definitely see them. They were so gorgeous. Later that night, we went to Randalls and they had some clipped flowers that hadn't opened up yet for $1.50 per dozen. Kamal bought me two dozen and when they opened the next morning, they were beautiful yellow daffodils!

Homemade Baked Corn Dogs and Corn Bread Muffins

The other day after the park playdate, the kids were wanting corn dogs so I decided to make them some. I had a recipe that I was dying to try in my "Heathly Choice" cookbook and since Kamal can't really have fried foods, I decided that the baking way was the way to go. I got pictures of each stage of the corn dog being made. It was fun.

After the corn dogs, I decided to go ahead and make cornbread muffins as well. I followed the recipe that was on the back of the corn meal package and they came out a bit dry. Next time, I'll have to make my own recipe. Here they are.

Springtime Playdate at Our House

We had a really nice time today with friends. We had our normal neighborhood playdate and Danny, Austin and I hosted. The kids came and made themselves right at home which I love to see! They went right to the backyard and started playing.

Everyone was so well behaved and when it came time to do the craft, they each made beautiful art pieces. We made Popcorn Cherry Blossoms out of popcorn, glue and construction paper and Springtime Flowers out of card stock and pipe cleaners. I so enjoyed seeing my boys enjoy their time with their friends. Thanks for a great time everyone!

Fun Playdate at Brushy Creek Sports Park

Well, it's officially opened (probably has been for some time now) but we had our first playdate there and had such a great time! There are so many neat things for the kids to do and they especially love the web-looking, climbing thing where they can pretend that they are Spiderman. I will definitely be taking them there again so that they can run, jump and play. Too cool!