Engaged!

"Going to the chapel and I'm gonna get married".... Yes! I am engaged to Jase Michener! Wedding plans for September 4th 2010 are busily being made. I am so excited to start this next chapter of my life. God is good! :) Visit our wedding website if you'd like, I am still working on it but hope to have it finished soon. Summer is here, enjoy!

Goin' Courtin'! :)

Yes! You heard me right! I am officially Courting! It has been just over two weeks now and I couldn't be happier. The fella is Jase Michener from Grandview, Wa. He is a godly, wonderful, talented young man and I am very much enjoying getting to know him even better. I promise more pictures soon.

Little brothers....

The other day, I was putting my birthday wish list on the fridge and Warren was looking it over. One item on my list was a Ballet Magnificat! bumper sticker and Warren asked me, "Why do you want a bumper sticker?" I told him that I had wanted to put a bumper sticker on my car from the first day I had bought it, but I wanted just the right one. He kind of shook his head, as if to say I was crazy, and walked away. Jia Tai was listening to this little conversation and heard the word "sticker" and that I had wanted a "sticker" for my birthday. That was all he needed to hear. He ran to his bedroom and pulled out his favorite spiderman stickers. And, without me knowing, he slipped out of the house. Jai Tai was beaming a huge smile as he ran up the stairs to the bathroom where I was getting ready for work. He grabbed my hand and exclaimed, "Coco! Coco! I got you a birthday present, come and see it!!!" He took me down the stairs and out to my car, where he proudly showed me two of his prized spiderman stickers which he had stuck so perfectly centered on my headlights. I wanted to cry. It was so sweet. His face was like a big beam of light. Then he asked, "Coco? Will you keep them on for the day?" I replied, "They are awesome Jia Tai! And yes, I will keep them on and show everyone what you gave me for my birthday." He was overjoyed. Then he took my hand and we walked back inside. I am so blessed with such a wonderful family. Thank you Lord. :)

It's December! Can you believe it??

I just pulled some Chocolate Paradiso Biscotti out of the oven and boy, does it smell good! A wonderfully crunchy cookie with bits of toasted almonds, hints of orange and large chunks of dark chocolate.

Wow, it's December. Where has the time gone? I have definitely been keeping busy with life. I am working 4 days a week at a local health food store and am enjoying it, I am also learning a lot! I continue to create in the kitchen and it never grows old to me. If I didn't get to spend at least three hours in the kitchen, my day was not complete! :) Life is busy and good at home. Always lots of work to be done, joys to share, games to play, books to read and talks to have. I wouldn't trade all these memories for anything. I love my family! I have been working on some sewing projects, some Christmas and the other is a big quilt which I am thoroughly pleased with how it is turning out. I am to the point of starting to machine quilt it but I am a little scared, it is rather large and I am NOT experienced with machine quilting! We'll see...anybody have any tips for me? So, other than just living life to the fullest following my Father in Heaven as He leads and enjoying it tremendously...not too much else. I will write again soon and post some pictures. God bless you all richly in the Christmas Season!

High School Graduation!!

Laurel after performing

The Michener kids and Backholm kids (minus Stephen)

The Michener Family

The graduation party crowd

Candice and Wyatt

Where people ALWAYS congregate...around the food!
It is just not a party without food.

Yep! I graduated! It feels so good to be "done" with school. I know that learning never ever stops but it is so nice to be graduated from high school. A lot of people are asking me what I am going to do now. I am not 1oo% sure what this next year holds for me but I do know that whatever happens I am going to keep my eyes on Jesus knowing that he holds my life in his hands. I plan to keep making money and working my full-time job at home. I am also considering teaching ballet lessons in the fall. Plus I would love to continue to bless and help out families who need a hand with house work, cooking, child care and whatever else suits their fancy. Anywho, I am going to keep my eyes wide open because life full of adventures and twists and turns and I don' want to miss any of them!

We had a GREAT graduation party on Saturday. Wonderful company, good food, lots of laughter and even live music featuring Zona Calda and Melina Kastle. Yes, it was splendid! One of the best gifts to me was that my good friends from Grandview were able to come and stay the weekend with us. We had an absolute blast playing tennis, pinochle, nerts, trivial pursuit and more. We thrived on little sleep and yummy food!! Ohhh...what fun, what fun. It was so hard to say good-bye. :(

On Sunday evening Laurel performed with the Grays Harbor Symphony playing Kabalevsky's youth concerto no. 5 op. 30 and she did a bang up job. I am so excited to see were Laurel goes with her amazing God-given talent and determination to practice daily 4-5 hours. I wish she would rub off on me! :)

Well, this is getting long and it is getting rather late. I am getting my last two wisdom teeth out tomorrow, so if you think about it I would appreciate prayer for a easy surgery and quick recovery. I will try to post again soon.

P.S. Does anyone know the secret to getting the pictures to go where you want them to?? I am completely and utterly befuddled!

Yes..I am still alive!

I know that you are all thinking that I have probably died or something but I actually am still here doing what I usually do and having a grand time. I just got back from spending a few days with my good friends the Micheners, were I ate good food, played lots of pinochle, laughed, held precious babies, played, enjoyed the sunshine and 85 degree weather and helped my sweet friend Larelle in anyway I could. About a month ago I finished up my year of Bible quizzing at districts in Tacoma with my team taking First! Yes! We were so excited! We all agreed that it was a very fun way to end the year. I have finished all my school now and I am finally graduating in a week and a half. It is a great feeling, yet a little strange and daunting since only God knows what the future holds for me. Yet, I wait with great anticipation knowing that his plans for my life are good and for a purpose. I'm so glad God cares about me! Well, I know that this a short post but I realized that I hadn't written in over 3 months and had to do something about it. I will try to post again soon with pictures. Be Blessed.

Baby Jackets, Raspberry Jam, and Cousins!

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Today was a great day! For starters Laurel and I made a batch of raspberry jam and the whole house smelled of summer. Ohhh..it was just delightful! Then we had a wonderful unexpected visit from our cousins who moved away to Seattle last December. So we drank tea and ate cookies while catching up on all the latest news and holding adorable Brinna. :) She has grown so much since the last time I saw her it was almost like a different baby! We really enjoyed getting to see them again. Finally, this evening Laurel and I finished two sewing projects that we started last week. We found this cute baby jacket pattern at a fabric store in Olympia and knew that we had to make some. It just so happens that a family we know is due to have twins any day now, so we decided to get a sewin'. We think they turned out marvelously and we will certainly use the pattern again. Ohh...what a day!