The Orlando Zoo

This will be a post without much words! Just pictures! Mike took Zachary to a Boy Scout Campout at the Orlando Zoo. Then today he brought Caleb back. I dont know the story behind the pics, so I will let them speak for themselves! Space Shuttle Launch?

Happy Birthday Christina! & Frank! & Ursula!

Life here in CA is.....um....well....ok, I guess. I mean its not like its horribly bad taking care of my niece, because she is a delightful child...happy, good natured, always ready with a smile and a

"I yuuvv you".

But taking care of a child that should absolutely be with her parents is what is wrong.

Our week has been filled with visits at the children's shelter where she gets to see them for 2 hours, twice a week. Its also where another foster mom, that I had met previously, pulled into the parking space next to me yesterday, and hit my car. I was in it Thank Goodness, because when I got out she asked me, "oh, did I bump your car?"

"Uh, Why YES you DID hit it, and pretty good too because its now got big scrapes along the back side of the bumper!" But I was nice. She is probably just as stressed as I am.

We also were able to have a make-up visit (since L & M missed one last week due to going to AZ) here at my house with the social worker present. There was also a visit by the DA investigator here at the house. She was scheduled for 4:00pm, but showed up at 2 :00pm. I clean the house every day, and it is totally child proof, so I am ready for the investigators at all times. But of course I had just fed Elektra, so she only had a diaper on with a t-shirt that was covered in ketchup. (ketchup is her most favorite 'food' in the world!)

We also had 2 Dr visits. Which was pure torture for her. We had to have a full bone scan done, that will prove she never has had a broken bone. Getting her to get the scan done was a nightmare. She did not want to lay down in the twisted positions they needed her to, so Michelle and I had to HOLD her down. Michelle on one end, me on the other. The poor baby screamed and cried each time. (Bro had a visit with an attorney, which was ok, since they only allowed women in there.) (I don't know why, but some lady was screaming at a man that came in with his wife...Women ONLY Women ONLY.) Then she had to have blood drawn. Of course that is not fun, and she complained about her BOOBOO for the rest of the day. I must of kissed it a hundred times.

I really wish I could send pictures of her, but I have tried dozens of times to send pictures to my email, and to family members and I cannot. Even the social worker wondered if it was possible that the house itself could be bugged.

So, instead, I will post pictures of the boys that Mike sent me. I want Christina to send me some pictures of her, but she hasn't done it yet. Her 17th birthday was yesterday, the 13th.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTINA! and FRANK! and URSULA! Yep...all on the same day! Mike took all 4 kids to Universal on Wed. Christina and Katelyn went and did their own thing. Until dinner of course!

Wow, Mike sent me a bunch of pictures for my walls, and comparing them with these, I can really see how much they have grown. In the other pictures their white shirts are not visible!

Zachary got picked to go on stage at the Animal Show! Mike said he wasn't happy about the bird on his head. The guy had said something about the bird pooping on his hat, so when Zachary got back to his seat, he threw off his hat in disgust. They ate at our fav place at Universal. (because we can share a big pail of shrimp for a relatively low cost) Caleb LOVES shrimp. It is one of his fav foods! Except for donuts. I wonder if you gave him a choice of one or the other, which he'd choose? Oh MY! My boys really need haircuts! I am having my friend Diane cut their hair this coming week. How weird...someone ELSE having to cut my children's hair. I hope its the one and only time. Mike was able to fly in last Friday to visit me. We drove to San Francisco twice. Once to go to Fisherman's Wharf, and the 2nd to visit the grave of my Uncle Frank and Baby JJ.

We enjoyed our visit, and it was over way too quickly. While he was here we took Elektra shopping at Toys R Us to use a gift card she was given. We also got Zachary some more of his "Little People" toys he loves, and Caleb got this runway with jets. My brother just sent me these pictures of Christina driving on the Freeway! I think that this is her first time! Drive careful Christina and don't smile AT the camera!! L & M have a court date set for Monday. However, its just a continuance. Meaning that unless they dismiss everything, (not likely as the autopsy report hasn't fully come back yet) they will set another date to hear the evidence. Which means we are still stuck in the nightmare of this mess. You can still Wish us luck that the TRUTH will be seen!

Calebs 5th Birthday

Today is Calebs 5th Birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CALEB!!!

Mikey, Zachary and Katelyn decorated the house for him. Zachary told Caleb that he should go to sleep before they decorated, so that he could wake up to a surprise. But Caleb was too excited to sleep, so he helped them. Look at all those presents! Daddy's not spoiling him while I am gone is he?? Katelyn wrapped all the presents. Good job Katelyn! Do you think Caleb likes racing? I had better be home soon, or the house will be filled up with toys. This is one of those toys that starts off very small, then you put it in water and it grows big. Ever since we caught that Sting Ray, the boys have been fascinated with them. Zachary went to Sea World on Friday and got to see a bunch of them. He enjoyed seeing them. After they got done opening all those gifts, they went to do Calebs favorite thing... GOLF! Yesterday was in the 80's, today was chilly. But they didn't care. I think Caleb needs a booster seat!

I just love looking at those smiles. This is one of the neatest cakes I have seen! Caleb and Mikey were at the bakery and he was saying how much he wanted a JET cake, so the bakery lady came over and said she could do that for him. Of course the cake is chocolate! Wow, those are HUGE pieces! I wonder if they ate it all gone? I will have to find out. To finish his day, he watched the NASCAR race with daddy, and played with his race cars. What a fun day! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY SWEET CALEB.

I wish I was there for it, but seeing their happy faces, I know they are happy and very well taken care of! And getting a little spoiled as well!