Hoopfest 2008

Saturday Day 1 Daddy love!

The Millers and The McMurrays
Janny don't be sad . . . . we thought of you the whole time we ate our Hawaiian Shaved Ice. . .

If you are an alien and do not know what Hoopfest is . . then I will explain! It is the biggest three on three basketball tournament in the world! It is considered a HOLIDAY in our family. It is on the calendar before Christmas sometimes. We are a hoops family! Here are some pics from this year. . it is was 102 degrees, but the kids were troopers and Aaron's team took second in his bracket. Now if you know Aaron's Hoopfest record from years past this is a HUGE improvement. I played since the first year but a few years back it didn't bring out the best in me (nice way to say I got a little competitive, so I retired:) This was Lucia's first year she was a HIT of course! Every year her birthday is going to fall on Hoopfest ~ I hope this is okay. . .

Day 2 Hoopfest photos ~

Grampy lives for HOOPFEST!

You might have noticed Kinkade lost his first tooth!
The TEAM 2008 - second place!

Lucia's First B-day BASH!

Lucia reminds of me of my favorite flowers Gerbera Daisies. . . I have always been captivated by them. They are bright, cheerful, fun, and kind of have a mind of their own - SASSY - they perk up and droop whenever they want to, and they always make me SMILE! Lucia smiles all the time and makes everyone around her smile. Their bright cheerful colors remind me of the colors you see in Guatemala. Lucia is so fun and sassy and most of all just simply beautiful and captivating. When it came time to decide on a theme for the party (I'm actually not very themey. . . .) I decided to fill the house with Gerbera daisies! It was bright & fun just like in Guatemala and just like our sweet daughter! Here are some highlights of the party. . .

When we went to pick up Lucia and bring her home we bought all the party favors for her first Birthday. I filled this bucket with woven Guatemalan balls (like hackey sacks) and darling Guatemalan necklaces! The kids loved them.
My mom made these darling baby cupcakes.
I got the famous open mouth kiss on her birthday!

She loved the Tres Leches cake!
After all the kids gave the pinata two good swings and it still did not break . . Jon finished it off!
I made Lucia a book full of 8x10 photos of all her family that have loved her in her life. . . our family and extended family, her Foster family and her Birth Mother. She loves photos. Instead of other gifts. . . . donations were made to start sponsoring a child through Mayan Families in Lucia's name. I can't wait to see a picture of the child we are going to sponsor.
We had a canvas representation of the invitation we sent out made and put it up in the entry way. It will eventually go up in her nursery to remember her first B-day. Of course we used http://mangoink.com/ - the cutest cards on the planet!
Grammy gave Lucia a family of Giraffes. Each one she made a bead necklace for with each family members name on it. Lucia's loves stuffed animals. . .she squeals and hugs them so tight!

We all sang "Feliz Cumpleanos a Ti'" to her and Aaron played his quitar. She was thrilled. She adores her Daddy singing to her.
I love this picture of my two sons. . . Lucia is looking at them like are these really my brothers??????? They are NUTS!"Is this really for me. . . what have you all being keeping from me all this time????"
Keagan was so excited for her to try her first peice of cake.

The girls eating. .. Sophie. . Anna. . . Amelia. . .
The cake tutu! Yes, I know totally overboard. When I told aaron we could not do the cake yet I needed to go change Lucia into her cake tutu. . . I can't write on the blog what he said. I never in a million years would of thought I would google "tutu" spend hours looking at all the tutus, and then actually purchase one! What has happened to me?
Two of our favorite people in the world ~ Whit and Jordan!
Playing Peek-a-Boo with Patty, proof she covers her ears not her eyes. It is so funny! Then she flings her hands down and says BOO!
All the kids after we sang.

I love this Gerbera Daisy. . it is unique and so fun!
Gerber Pinata!
Lucia in her Birthday Daisy outfit. Eating her first chip ever.
My baby girl!
Of course she had to include Murphy in her big day.

Happy First Birthday LuLu!

Our Favorite things about Lucia . .. Happy First Birthday!

Mom's favorite things about Little Missy Lu ~

* I love the way you put both hands over your ears to play peek-a-boo instead of your eye

* I love your open mouth kisses

* Your smile lights up a room, or Costco, or Target, or pre-school. . .pretty much everywhere we go you light up the room with your smile!

* I love it when you snuggle your head on my shoulder

* I love the way you start bouncing the second you see your Daddy because you know he is going to sing you a silly Lucy song

* I love that you are a GIRL!

* I love the way you wrestle only your brothers and no one else. .

* I love how you throw everything on the ground so you can say "Uh-Oh" in the sweetest voice

Daddy's favorite things about his little sugar ~

* I love that everything about you is pure JOY. . .smile. . . .laugh. . .eyes!

* I love the way you dance!

* I love the way you love to be held facing outward as if to say bring it on WORLD!

Keagan's favorites things about Luce the Goose ~

* I love Lucy's laugh

* I love how she throws her sippy cup on the ground and than says "uh-oh"

* I love to go to her room and get her up in the morning and from a nap!

* I love her chubby cheeks

Kinkade's favorite things about Little Lu

* I love that she is wild and crazy!

* I love her laugh!

* I love to play chase with her.

The highest honor. . .stomach cake. . .Lucy dove!

Yes, you guessed it a jammed finger playing hoops is a very high honor in the LONG FAMILY! Kinkade jammed his finger playing basketball and it is swollen and even bruised on the inside. Now that is toughness! Congrats Kinkade!

Picture with a proud Daddy!

Okay. . . I have been practicing Tres Leches cake for Lucia's first Birthday. Is this how it is supposed to look? Someone help me who has made this cake. It looks more like my stomach than a pretty cake. It might not be pretty but the boys in the house LOVED IT! They have all changed their favorite cake choice for their own birthdays to Tres Leches. Since it looks like my stomach after twins I am not too excited about it.

Oh yeah, Lucia has been swimming with us almost everyday and jumping off the side of the pool to us well jumpscooting. . . Tonight she dove face first. Not a tear. . where do the McMurrays get these children who have no fear of the water. It would be nice to just to have a healthy fear:)

Some sweet things. . .

Nothing sweeter than Daddy and his baby girl dancing the night away. . . and by accident matching!

Isn't the back of this dress so sweet?

My mom always brings me fresh beautiful flowers. She know how much I love to have fresh cut flowers around. . they make me so happy. Isn't this arrangement glorious. . . they are from her yard.
My mom let the boys pick out each bead special and then they made me this bracelet for my birthday. . . I think it will go with everything:)
My new BBQ silverware I got for my birthday. . . I absolutley love it. It will make their debut on Lucia's first birthdy party! Polka dots are the sweetest!
Some sweet wedding love!
Uncle Bryan gave the boys these new water bottles. . . they have not set them down since. They are so cute and work so well.

Sweet Fathers Day cards from Keagan and Kinkade. . . . I will have to post another time about the inside. Mrs. B. asked them questions about their dad and they had the sweetest answers.
Nothing like a good candle!
Heidi gave me this stationary. . . it couldn't be more ME! I want to plaster my house with it!
My friends Susan for a shower gift gave Lucia a gift certificate to have this print made at Piggies and Paws. We have a talented artist right here in town. Didn't it turn out so sweet with her little feet. I need to find the perfect place in her nursery for it. I think the boys need one done now. I love the matting of course aqua and brown to match the nursery.
Okay not so sweet. . ..