Beautiful Girls

Kate and her cousin Brandy (Kevin's sister Susan's daughter) are here visiting on their spring break. They arrived Saturday night after a long 8 hour drive. To welcome Kate home I prepared her favorite meal which is my Chicken and Dumplings. Brandy had never had Chicken and Dumplings before but LOVED it. The next day, I took Kate out to shop for some things she needs like new shoes, make-up, shampoo etc etc. We had a wonderful afternoon of Mother/Daughter time which is very few and far between so I cherished it. That night Kate requested BBQ steak for dinner so we bought some beautiful rib eyes and had a wonderful BBQ meal together. We enjoyed hanging out as a family and watched a fun comedy together that night that we had rented. On Monday Kate went to my hairdresser here and had her hair done, while Brandy met her Dad, his girlfriend and her little brother at the mall. (they live 15 minutes away in a nearby town) Once Kate's hair was done, she met up with Brandy and her family and they enjoyed a late lunch together. That night after another meal at home (another request by Kate...spagehtti ie: this girl lives on mac and cheese and other simple foods while in school so she LOVES home cooked meals when she comes to visit!) the girls and I went to the movie to see REMEMBER ME with Robert Pattinson. Since all three of us are big time "Twihards" which means we love anything regarding the Twilight series from the books to the movies...and especially we love our Edward who is played by darling british actor Robert Pattinson. It was fun to see Rob in a role outside of the Twilight films and the movie was WONDERFUL. A drama with a twist at the end that we did not see coming. We loved the movie and I got a kick listening to the girls gush over their heart throb Rob Pattinson. (I don't mind watching him either I might add!)
On Tuesday the girls went to the beach just the two of them and then drove out to Brandy's Dad's house for dinner. Tonight after eating build your own burritos at home, Kevin and I hosted a new Bible Study in our home (more on that later) so the girls opted to go out for a while to grab coffee drinks and then back to Brandy's Dad's to hang out and spend the night there. I took these pics of the girls right before they took off for the evening. Is it just me or are these girls GORGEOUS!? It has been SO FUN to watch the friendship that has developed between the girls over the past year and half as they are attending college together in the same major. Both want to be nurses, so they have LOTS in common and we can tell they share a genuine affection and love for each other. Tomorrow the girls will head to Disneyland for the day and since Kyle and I were just there in January we are letting them go just the two of them. Kate promised to take lots of pics with her camera so I will share those in the next couple of days.

Introducing...the newest member of the family, LILY! Kate called us from school 2 months ago to tell us that she found a Chihuahua breeder who has lost her job and was unable to provide her new litter of puppies with their shots and there fore giving them away for free. Kate has been wanting a dog since she was 4 years old. Sadly, because I am allergic to dogs as is Kyle...we could never have one. When we first found out that she had adopted Lily we were NOT in support. We thought it was not the time for her to take on the responsibility of a dog nor were we willing to pay for her dog in any way. Kate told us that she had been putting aside money for several weeks to pay for the needs of a dog and that she was willing to forgo a portion of her weekly allowance from us to support her pet. We were unsure of the whole idea at the time, but now I have to say that Kevin and I feel that this little puppy has been a God send for Kate. It is so fun to watch the nurturing/caring side of Kate as she cares for her little puppy, and Lily is...well just look at her! She is darling. We are all in love with her and it has been so fun having her here. My allergies are definitely kicked in with the dog here, but as long as I don't hold her and kiss on her like Kate, its not too bad. She does not shed AT ALL, so that is not a concern while she is a puppy. Kate has loved having a new little friend to go through her college days with. Since Kate has practically given up all her social activities while she works to get the highest grades she can this Semester, she is enjoying having Lily to keep her company while she studies. Kate has done an incredible job potty training and crate training Lily. Lily has the best little personality and is really a great little dog. Today when the girls went over to our neighborhood clubhouse and pool for the afternoon, she put Lily in her crate and after a short time of whining, she fell asleep and was quiet as can be for several hours. She brings Kate immense joy and happiness and so for that reason alone, we feel that maybe her having a dog is not a bad idea after all. The girls are here for 3 more days and go back Sunday, so stay tuned for more pics and updates on our time with them.