Pink Roses and Strawberries

My mom and a pink rose.  

Mother's Day is a day I mostly dread.  I'm sorry.  It's just a tough day for me, and I know I'm not alone in that.  So, imagine my total surprise when Mother's Day turned into a very lovely day for me this year.

First there was the chocolate and pink roses at our church services.  (What's not to like about chocolate and roses?)  

Then there was a lovely dinner and good time with friends.  And by lovely dinner, I mean really YUMMY.

Couscous and veggies

I really loved both the garlic chicken and the delightful couscous with butternut squash, zucchini and carrots.  I could eat that every day.  (My neighbor is a great cook.)

Garlic Chicken

 Then, we played a rousing game of Yahtzee!

Going for that high score!

It's been a long time since I've played Yahtzee!

Our handsome and accomplished Chef contemplating his next Yahtzee move

We also ate a considerable amount of chocolate covered strawberries for dessert.  These were prepared by the Young Women in our Ward as a camp fundraiser.  They were REALLY GOOD. I don't know where they get their strawberries, but these were huge, juicy and quite flavorful.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries!

I was not expecting anything out of the ordinary this Mother's Day, and was very much resigned to soldiering through it... so this very wonderful day came as a delightful and a complete surprise.  My thanks to everybody who helped make it so very special.  (Judy, Laurel, George, Peggy!)

You guys are the BEST.

Feliz Cumpleaños!

Melanie, the birthday girl

There is nothing more frustrating than to have gone to a birthday party and later realizing you didn't really get a good photo of one of the birthday people.

When the Delgados invited me to their shindig. I was surprised to see that the invitation included Melanie, the lovely daughter pictured above, and her Dad, Noe!  Yup, I asked and discovered that their birthdays were so close together, they decided to have one big party for them both.

I think it was a great idea.

Sister Allen, one of our senior missionaries chats with Evangeline and the Ibeys

What a party!  There was all kinds of delicious food for dinner - really tasty dishes that Sister Delgado (who is an excellent cook) prepared.  There were enchiladas, a pork dish that was to die for, rice and beans as well as other dishes, and a whole table full of great desserts.

I filled up a huge plate and really chowed down. I noticed everyone ate very well. It was all good.  I don't get home-cooked meals all that often, so when I do, I enjoy them to the fullest.

People kept coming and going throughout the late afternoon and evening

These tarts were really yummy.

The Ibeys and McKeons enjoying the karaoke music!

There were lots of people there when I arrived, and folks drifted in and out all evening.  It was a cool, pleasant evening, just perfect for gathering with friends outdoors.

Now, here is where I have to apologize.  This was the only photo (below) I got of Brother Delgado the entire evening! It's all fuzzy and everything.  I can't believe I did that.  Let me just tell you that Brother Delgado, Noe, is a very handsome man and has a terrific voice.  He had hooked up the karaoke machine and belted a few numbers for our enjoyment.  The crowd enjoyed it immensely.

Noe crooning 

I sat with my friends, the Rodriguezes.  (That doesn't look right, but you get the idea.)

My good friend Mary Beth

Then I started taking photos of the Delgado girls.  I like the Delgado girls.  They are sweet and kind and talented... and beautiful.  (They keep having birthdays, so I see I will soon have to start calling them the Delgado women.)

First it was a photo of Melanie, and then her sister, Keyla, got into the act.

Keyla and Melanie

... and then mom Karina stopped by for Mary Beth to snap a photo of them.  I really like this photo (below).  Mom doesn't look any older than her daughters, does she?  

Karina, Keyla and Melanie

Finally, not to be left out, the youngest, Beverly, joined in.  By that time we had started giggling a little, and people were gathering to stare at the photo op.

Beverly, Keyla, Karina and Melanie

We're so lucky to have this beautiful family in our ward.  It was a lovely evening.

My Little Boy

Shoes and Jack's toy

I went to put on my shoes one morning as I was getting ready for work, and found Jack had been using them in his play.

No, I don't know where he'd stolen the tiny Christmas stocking from; we put away the Christmas stuff a few months ago.

Jack likes to... um... steal things to play with.  He takes whatever strikes his fancy and sometimes it's odd stuff, like a tiny Christmas stocking.  That I find in my shoes.  Or that he hides in places around the house.

He's a funny guy.

Being a cat mom is an adventure.

Jack the culprit

Jack wishes all the moms out there a very Happy Mother's Day!

Hat Day!

Doug posing with his Red Chinese cap

Last Friday was "wear your favorite hat" day at our office.  It was fun to see all the different headgear people came up with!

Doug, for example, was wearing a Red Chinese cap.  He laughed and said he had bought it in China and he wore it to bug the Taiwanese folks who work in our office.  (He was kidding.)  He looked very handsome in it, actually.  Don't you agree?

Ana does Minnie

Engineer Ana looked adorable in her Minnie Mouse ears.  Well, she looks adorable anyway.  It's not that difficult!

Anthony is never afraid to participate in these things.  I really love him for that.  He always has a bright smile, my camera just caught him in an "off" moment.

Anthony proclaims himself to be a Dodgers fan

Giuseppe looked dashingly handsome in his ball cap.

Giuseppe looks sharp

... and I caught Edward on the phone, so I couldn't ask him if his headgear came from a Renaissance Faire, or a Bakery...

Edward has a Renaissance cap on

I'm glad I work with so many fun, intelligent people.  I'm lucky in that regard.

Hat Day does make conferencing look a bit humorous, like when I caught the transportation planners, Bruce and Ivy, going over notes for a project. 

Bruce and Ivy both look adorable

I was delighted by our receptionist Carmen's look.  Isn't she beautiful?

Carmen looked very cool!

And last, but certainly not least, here is our IT guy, Gerry, sporting a very British cap.  He looks like he should be motoring somewhere in a sporty roadster.

Gerry went for a sporty look.

I appreciate my co-workers for their joie de vivre and their affability.  Thanks for always smiling for the camera, everybody!  I think you're all great.

Hat's off to you!

No Stress Chess

Fredrik and Livia with their Daddy

 I don't know about you, but I think I was at least six before my Dad taught me how to play chess.  Just kidding.  I was seven.

My nephew Daniel, however, decided to teach his five-year-old Fred how to play, using a new method called "No Stress Chess".  No stress chess combines the traditional board game and pieces with a deck of action cards that explain how each piece moves.

It also provides a couple of variations on the play to help newbies learn the ropes.  It looks like even little Livia is getting in on the action.

I was going to say, "finally, some chess players I could beat!"  And then I thought about it for a moment.  Maybe not.

I suppose we'll have to see about that.

Bianca's Day

Bianca and her cousin Emmy are very intense as they open gifts

What do you do for a three-year-old who has everything?  You throw her an Ariel themed mermaid birthday party!

The Ariel pinata was bigger than Bianca!

Mom and Dad fed us adults a great dinner before Bianca got to open her gifts.  Her actual little kids' birthday party with other children her age was on the Saturday before.

I was very happy to avoid that bit of mayhem!  It was held at a local pizzeria that is loud and boisterous - and has video games and fun things for kids to do. You know the kind? Crazy birthday parties for little kids are not my idea of a good time.

I'm more sedate.  Yeah, and refined.  (Are you done snorting in derision yet?  Or just laughing out loud?)

Trays of yummy cupcakes!

Bianca's Mom baked all kinds of cupcakes for this occasion.  They were pretty.  They were tasty. You could say they were pretty tasty.

The cakes were beautifully decorated

Bianca is a popular little girl.  She got lots of presents.

The birthday present stash

Bianca has two big brothers who are very possessive and protective of her...

Big brother Aaron lights the candles

... and doting grandparents...

Bianca blows out the candles with help from her grandmother

.. and lots of other relatives, and stray friends like me!

Pretty clothes!

I remember how thrilled I was to receive clothes for my birthday when I was a kid.

Hmmmm.... what's this?

Bianca looked very serious as she opened her gifts.  She got some really cute stuff.  I'm jealous.

All us grown-ups had a nice dinner

 Her Aunt Veronica (in the photo above with her husband Evan), is expecting a little girl in August.  Soon Bianca will have another little girl cousin to play with!  Hooray!

While we mature ladies were having fun with the present opening and such, the guys preferred to watch an action movie.  Explosions and car chases won out.

The guys, being manly men, watched a movie

I had a fun time with my friend Bianca at her party!

Silly Hats

Rebecca and a silly hat

Pass around a hat with a red pony tail attached, ala Disney, and everyone gets into the silliness. I think the beautiful Rebecca (above) looked very good with it on.  So did her gorgeous Aunt Veronica (below).

This was at a birthday party for a three-year-old, so us grown-ups got a little... um... strange. 

Veronica owning the hat

Today is "wear your favorite hat" day at work.  We'll see what people come up with and report back to you soon!

Have a terrific weekend!