August party

Today we spent most of the day at Aunt Doreen's house for the annual August birthday party. There are alot of people in the family born in August.... hence the one big party for everyone. We had a hamburger shaped/decorated cake, hot dogs and all the fixings with it, and lots of presents.


Jazzy and Jade

Getting ready to blow out the candles

Aunt Doreen, Grandma and Jazzy

Eating lunch, Grandpa Blakeman looking on, Jerry in the background.

A picture of me that Jasmine took. It's kind of fuzzy, but at least it's centered.

August 10th Birthday Party....

Tonight was Jasmine's 5th Birthday party at Pho An Sen Vietnamese Restaurant. Several of Jasmine's pre-school friends attended including Josephine Boucher and her brother Henry, Addis Beaty, Adam Elliot, Kiera Umble, Margot McArdle, Katherine Samas from dance class, and of course Gadiel and Abby Tindall from Casa Grande. Teresa at the restaurant fed us continuous Vietnamese Egg Rolls and Spring Rolls, then we had the Princess Cupcakes. The kids each decorated a Vietnamese lantern to take home, as well as a Vietnamese hat. Jazzy received LOTS of presents! We tried to keep it short and sweet since it was a "school night":)!



Me and Jazzy (making a face), but it's the only photo we have of us together.

Opening presents and eating cupcakes.

Jasmine and Addis... Those darn balloons keep getting in the way.

Jasmine at home with a couple of her presents. A shiny purse and shoes from Addis and some crafty games from Adam. Kiera gave Jazzy a carrying case with two dogs.

Early birthday presents....

Tonight I let Jazzy open her presents even though her birthday is tomorrow. We have such a busy day tomorrow... go to the grocery store before school to get cupcakes or something for her class at school (even though the kids cannot have them until they are walking out the door and waiting to be picked up to go home because it is too "distracting" - Too distracting for kindergartners!!)
Then we have Jazzy's birthday party right after that at Pho An Sen.... so I think she will just collapse after that.
Tonight we had to go have a required insurance "check up" to get a referral to the ophthalmologist that we have been visiting for the past 2.5 years. I called the other day to start setting up the pre-surgical evaluation for Jasmine's eye surgery possibly some time in December. They said that since I had changed my insurance, I needed to get a "referral" from another physician to continue going there. What a waste of time. So, I got the vaccine lecture.... It is just coincidence that Jasmine had diarrhea for one year after her last vaccine. Just coincidence that it went away after a homeopathic remedy, and just coincidence that the diarrhea started up again just recently and went away again after her homeopathic remedy. I was also told that Jasmine will be fluoride and mineral deficient because she is not drinking tap water:)) The woman was almost comical. So ignorant!

Also, Jasmine is not even on the growth scale.... but it was a growth scale for overweight oversized American kids, not the Vietnamese growth scale... where she is only slightly small. I was also chastised that I don't take her in on a regular basis to get her height and weight taken.... as if I can't do that myself? No wonder the general public is so naive when we have such stupidity coming from people who should know better. Definitely not going back there again!. Glad it's over with.

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Jasmine opening her presents. Pet Vet Barbie came with a little Chihuahua complete with an E-collar, an little chart, a doctor bag, and a little dog bone. Pet Vet Barbie got changed pretty much immediately into her mini-dress and high heels The V-tech camera was a huge hit. I have never been so photographed in my life... talking on the phone, sleeping, working, eating, a close up of my nose, Barbie's face.... many others. Jasmine also got a little pink drum set because the Vision Therapist told me that kids who can march to a metronome, play drums, keep a beat.. are better readers...according to studies.

Tomorrow is another big party day. Right now we are going to have a healthy salmon and vegetable dinner because we are so protein deficient!!! and tomorrow will be a not so healthy diet day:)

Adam's birthday....

Today was Adam Elliot's 5th birthday party at Gold Medal Gymnastics. There were a couple of kids from pre-school (Aaron and Brian), and other kids that we didn't know. Amanda Borden was even there..... 2004 all around world champion and gold medalist in the 2004 Olympics. She and her husband own the gym. We had it all to ourselves for the party. It's a week of birthday party marathons.

Getting ready to go to the party.

Adam and Jasmine.

At the party, eating ice cream.

Upside down on the bar.

Starfish--> Seahorse

Starfish to Seahorse graduation today! Finally... yeah:)

Dental visit.....

After the first day of school, we had to go to the dentist. I actually had it scheduled the day before school, but he had some type of emergency and had to re-schedule us.

Dr. Abbott talking to Jasmine about brushing her teeth.

Getting a check up.

The dental hygenist cleaning Jazzy's teeth.

Picking out a toothbrush and some tokens to buy toys from a toy machine at the dental office.

First day of Kindergarten......

Dobson Academy K-8 Charter School. Chandler, Arizona. First day of school. Jasmine's new teacher is Melissa Wachtel from New Jersey. She seems nice, young, and fairly progressive...At least Jasmine doesn't have the grumpy old hag teacher like I had in pretty much every grade level! There are three kindergarten classes with 21 kids in each class. Yikes.

Only one or two kids were crying, but lots of parents were standing around crying:)

Jasmine in our front yard with her new bookbag. For some reason, they are not allowed to have wheels, so I had to buy yet another bookbag/backpack. Alot of rules at this school!

Playing on the playground, waiting for school to start.

Miss Wachtel- Jasmine's teacher.