Happy Birthday Erica!

2012 AND 2013

9th and 10th Birthday Celebrations

Bangalore India

 

Both years Erica has opted to have parties at home and take full advantage of our neighborhood complex and the amenities within its walls!

 

 Happy 9th Birthday Little Miss Dimples

The Celebration Gang

 

May all your wishes come true!

Yep!  This is what NINE looks like! 

 TOTALLY STYLIN'

 

Fast forward a year.....Uh yeah.  I mean age nine was like so yesterday.  I'm totally into being ten!  ("Shoot!" her Mother says, "Where did that year go?!")  Luckily, only children age!  "Mother" is stuck at year 25!  :0)

 

Erica with some of her BFF's at school and when it's your birthday you don't have to wear your uniform.  SCORE!

 Opening Cards from Home

 Peek-A-Boo!

 Savin' Up Her Rupees for something BIG!! :0)

Shoot!  Couldn't find any candles in Bangalore so we tried lighting 10 matches.  It didn't work so well but she was a good sport!

 

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

Erica really wanted a sleepover this year and when Mommy said, "Are you sure?"  Daddy said, "Why not?!"  So that settled it a Sleep Over Party indeed!  We had 14 girls and 2 boys, her brothers, Michael and David (they'll appreciate someday how lucky they were to be surrounded by all those lovely little ladies!  Hahah!)

Posin' By The Pool

 Rachel and her South African buddy, Lene

 If only I could capture the NOISE level in these pictures!  Such shrieking and screeching!  Having a total BLAST!

 The Party Princess

 Got most of them in this picture!

 Weeeee-Hooooooo!

 And they're off!

 Chicken Fights and all!

 Time to Dance!!

 Love that Mikey is in the mix - Show 'em all those dance moves, Michael!

 Food On The Floor - Not enough chairs for everybody!

Shockingly, the girls did amazing at the actual "sleeping" part of the sleep over!  I couldn't believe it!  They all listened and went to bed when they were told.  I was truly impressed.  They were a great group of girls and when I said all of this to Erica she said, "I chose wisely!"  Haha!  I love it!

 

A little "Just Dance" after breakfast

 

Birthday's come but once a year and this was an epic party for our double digit, WHOPPIN' TEN YEAR OLD, Erica!  We love you Erica and even though you're getting bigger, you'll always be our little Keycah Meekah!! ;0)



Maldives

During the kids October break from school we hit the Maldives Islands for a time of snorkeling, sun bathing and relaxation.  We had a fabulous time other than that David was on an antibiotic and got FRIED by the sun.  We didn't realize why he was getting so sunburned until we had been in the Maldives for a couple of days and then Matt figured it out....THE ANTIBIOTICS!!!!  His skin literally blistered, peeled and cracked.  It was like caring for a burn victim.  He would put himself to sleep crying b/c he couldn't get comfortable and then I would go to my room and cry b/c I felt so bad for him.  Lesson learned and word to the wise for all - Sunshine and Antibiotics do NOT mix!  :0/

 Almost There!

Arrived and Boy is it Hot!  Time to go change our clothes!

Welcome to the Maldives!

 

 Time to get serious about swimming!

Ready.  Set.  JUMP!

 

Who is ready to snorkel?

We are ready!!!

Playing with Daddy in the waves!

 

Going Deep to Find the Good Stuff!

 

So many pretty things to see in the sea!

Get on zee boat, yah, zee banana boat!

Here's looking at you, Kid!

The whole island was full of HUGE fruit bats!

It's a bird...It's a plane...It's a stinkin' HUGE fruit bat!!!

The kids LOVED trying all of the different tropical drinks

Waiting out a passing shower!

Checking out the schools of fish as they go by.

Sunset

 

 

Successful night fishing

The fish we caught....Fresh on the beach bbq...YUM!!

Dinner antics

Michael fell asleep at dinner (That's the sign of a good vacation!)

Another day and more island activities!

The Ladies

 

The Men

Collecting Hermit Crabs

Soaking up some rays (notice no David!!)

The Fab Four plus One More (our new friend, Maya!)

Aw!  Sisterly Love!

Out to sea to look for dolphins!

 

So cool!  We spotted loads of them!

They were doing all kinds of tricks like they do at the "Dolphin Shows" back in the US (Maybe those fancy shmancy dolphin trainers have been tricking us all these years & charging us crazy fees to watch their "trained" dolphins perform b/c I'm pretty sure nobody has been training these wild boys & they were flipping, flopping, flying & splashing all over the ocean and they LOVED it when we clapped for them!)

Evening Hermit Crab Races at the Hotel

You're Still THE One!

xo

 

Saying good-bye to the Maldives under the branches of the big banyan tree.