KiwiCrate Time

For Christmas we were gifted 2 craft gifts from www.kiwicrate.com every month for the year. This surprise box has save our household. It's wonderful for play dates, parties, rainy/sunny days.... We receive really creative activities, and its an amazing bonding experience between you and your child. This month we made a scavenger box, to collect nature finds and we also made a lantern. It was so cute I had to take a picture! I am definitely going to continue subscribing to this company. It's so worth it. You don't have to think about being the most creative.....they've done it for you.

Best Graduates

August 19, 2011 Both of my babes started a new venture .....school! Marley started Los Feliz Corners Preschool and Ahmed started a Masters of Fine Arts program at A.F.I. There was a lot of sacrifices, struggles, frustration, sleepless nights, etc. But we managed to keep our sanity and still love each other through thick and thin! It was a whole lot of  teamwork, support from our friends and family, it was living life, saying No, doing what you can do with what you have and always having your family in the forefront. Now 2013 and to see Ahmed walk up to receive his degree, with our son and his parents, was a huge moment.  He was walking for all of us. We were and are so proud of  "daddy"! Marley saw for himself the hard work, the homework, the long nights, his daddy put in to successfully complete his degree. Now, Marley too is graduating and moving onto another school. Earlier this year he was accepted to a French Emersion school, which he is very exciting.  He loves learning`and I am just so excited for what the future has in store for all us.  I am so grateful and thankful. I love my boys. 

Yoga Party Time

Birthday Parties in this day and age are way more sophisticated than the ones I had in mine. When I was a kid, we had pizza, ice cream, cake or (Carvel's ice cream cake), a radio and pin the tail on the donkey!

Marley went to a Yoga Party a couple of weeks ago. It was awesome! They had a Yoga class, organic food, arts and crafts, dance party, limbo.......a 2hr packed fun filled 4 yr old party. Don't get me wrong we had a huge bouncy house for Marley's 4th. My question is...... or we setting these kids up for disappointment in the future? Because, I'm not sure how long I can out do myself year after year!!!! LOL

Summer @Hollywood Soccer Academy

This spring Marley started the under 5 soccer classes in Los Feliz. It was an amazing experience not only for him, but for me as well. To watch him grow from not knowing, getting frustrated, not scoring, or  understanding the purposes of all of the ball exercises; to having fun, participating the whole hour and  growing in confidence on the soccer field.  I don't think I could have taught him sportsmanship and Team work without just putting him in it. I feel this is a lesson that is never too early to learn. It was hard to watching his feelings get hurt, or when he fell, or when he just didn't understand that you have to keep chasing the ball!! And like that it clicked, he got it and I saw so much potential in his skills! Nothing was more rewarding than the day he scored a goal and ran with his hands in the air, "I scored, I scored, MOM did you see!!!" 

I am so happy that he has a love for football (soccer), a sport which has kind of been a family tradition. My dad played, my brother played, I played and the story continues. Until, next season. 

The Bests' Cousins

On our trip to New Jersey, Marley got a chance to visit his cousins and grandparents. This cute trio see's each other a couple times  a year and its like they saw each other yesterday. The first embrace, the urgency to play as if they had 2 minutes, the camaraderie of us against them (parents), the invasion of personal space, thinking they are sitting next to each other when in actuality they are sitting on top of each other.
I remember when I use to visit my cousin 2 or 3 times a year. She was my favorite cousin and my sister.   We had some of the best times of our lives together. An early childhood bond that was formed when we were preschoolers and has lasted in our adult lives. I am so happy when Marley gets to visit. I just always remind myself, no matter how many miles separate us (family) the Love will always keep us connected.

Marley STOMPS NewYork

For the second year in a row we were able to celebrate my niece's birthday! She turned three and it was just a joy to see the excitement of these two cousins reuniting! Marley loves his cousin so much, he often refers to her as his cousin/sister. We had a good old fashion Jersey BBQ and kids dance party in the basement. My parents happened to be in town also, so seeing them was icing on the cake. And them having both of their grandkids together was a joy.

One of my promises to Marley on our trip, was that I was going to take him and his cousin to see STOMP! One of the best blessings in my life. My first big gig. My home. MY family. It's where my adult life began! The show that has given me the skills to be a better dancer, actor....performer. Marley was now going to see a show that defies any boundaries and is enjoyed by all ages! He loved it . She loved it and I loved it all over again. We stomped and tapped all the way home. It was so awesome to see my friends, my family Stephanie, Anthony and Jason, still rocking the show. Catching up with them briefly, about life and kids. I would have never imagined this life 18 years ago, Stomp gave me more that a job.   It gave me the Loves of my Life.