Claudia just got it!

On Saturday morning Claudia asked Scott to take off her training wheels....

The End!

Book Character Day

This was a lot of fun... dressing up for school. The kids were able to parade around the school to show off themselves in character. Daniel's class dressed up as the Cat in the Hat and can you guess who Kaylea dressed up as, the first two guesses don't count!

Symbols...

Daniel's discoveries...Nike Swoosh

Two days later....

Canoe

What will he think of NEXT?

Love Fest with Emily!

My kids love Emily and Emily loves them!

Read-A-Thon

Last Tuesday Claudia, Kaylea, Daniel and I had a read-a-thon in honor of Dr. Seuss's Birthday on March 2.

We had been planning it for a couple of days so when the kids got home from school the excitement grew. Immediately, Kaylea wanted to help me make the treats so they could start reading. After supper and baths we spread out on the floor with our pillow, blankets, and our adventures. Samuel lost interest around 5:00 and was asleep, out, cold, no movement! And around 5:30 Claudia was comatose too! What is it with laying down and reading? Sleep is imminent! Anyway, Daniel read a total of 8 books to us and I read about 5. The kids and I read for 2 1/2 hours... Wow! We all were thirsty, hungry, and tired. But before bed we had to enjoy the treats!
Pie crust hearts, sprinkled with sugar, filled with marshmallows and chocolate chips along with a side of cold milk. A hit with the kids.

Claudia's Couch Bed

Claudia wants her bed to look like a couch...

ALWAYS!

Everything will still be in place in the morning too!

My Map Obsession

My brother and I share an obsession... MAPS! We can't get enough! Looking at them, dreaming of the places that we someday want to visit, imagining what it would be like to live in that small town. I'm not sure how it started but I remember when we would vacation with my Mamaw she would pull out the map and ask us where we were located, where we were going, and what towns we were going through. My Dad did the same. I loved it and still do. (Right now I have three books of maps in my car... Phoenix, Arizona, and US.) Well, Daniel has quickly developed that love too. His favorite website is Google Earth which he will stay on for hours touring counties, countries, continents... the ocean. It is never ending with him! He has three different wall maps tacked on his wall in his bedroom... US, North America, and World. Every night he "reads" the maps and usually asks me questions. It is one of the highlights of my day! So the other night I found my kids pulling out the puzzle maps that I have collected over the years and putting them together. I just laughed... I get so excited that my kids love what I love...

Is it hereditary or taught?

Nakaji's Fish Taco Night

Fish Taco Night is a BNI tradition at the Nakaji's. The kids always have a BLAST at their house... weather it is swimming in the pool, playing in the grass backyard, jumping in the bounce house, or just hanging out with the other kids. The adults also love just catching up on everyday life. It is also a tradition to get a picture of the newest additions with their daddies, the busy doctors. Just last year, 2008, there were 6 babies that were born to the residents. AND you thought that we didn't get to see our husbands! (Nine babies were born in 2006. There were only 20 residents at that time. You do the math!) Anyway thanks, Nakaji's for such a great time.

V-day 50K

Yeah! Scott ran his first 50K trail run on Valentine's Day and we are all so proud of him. The kids were yelling for him when he crossed the finish line and his smile said it all!

I love you Scott! You are amazing!

Kaylea's 6th BiRTHDaY!

Parties are lots of fun to have but much time is involved in planning them. So we try to make them as easy as possible. So for Kaylea's 6th Birthday she had an almost sleepover which consisted of her 6 favorite friends, wearing pajama's, painting nails, and tying ribbons and bows in everyones hair while watching a princess movie.

First we made the invitations...

Then the cookies... (Kaylea wanted to decorate cookies instead of cupcakes)

Of course getting ready for her party was just as exciting...

(This was her first pedicure/manicure done by a professional!)

Jeffry surprised her with a visit and he gave her a princess sticker maker wrapped in his mothers world famous princess pillow case. Thanks Jeffry! Grandma gave her a dog, that she was able to pick out at her favorite store... Target! Then the excitement begins. The girls start arriving for her party bringing smiles, cute pj's, and lots of loud laughter. The energy filled the house for 3 hours. They played barbies, ate lots and lots of food, decorated cookies with icing and sprinkles, and then the makeovers.

Before During After

the makeovers...

Kaylea loved having all her friends together. She said that it was a blast and I will have to agree. Special thanks goes out to the special girls that made this party memorable, Claudia, Kinley, Kaelyn, Morgan, Tatum, Gigi, and Rachel! You are AWESOME!!!

The next morning was her birthday. February 14, 2009. It is a tradition in our home to make pancakes the morning of the special day. Kaylea gets a special pancake in the shape of a 6 with 6 candles.

Happy Birthday To You Kaylea!