CHELSEA RUNS ON ITUNES

"Chelsea Runs" is now available on iTunes! All proceeds will be donated to the Chelsea's Light Foundation, an organization trying to push forward harsher punishments for child rapists. Please support the cause!

Mike's Interview with CBS 8 in San Diego

San Clemente father writes song for Chelsea - San Diego, California News Station - KFMB Channel 8 - cbs8.com

Chelsea King Memorial Video

For those of you who haven't been following the news lately, Chelsea King was a 17 year old girl from San Diego who was raped and killed last week. Her alleged attacker was a convicted sex offender (of a minor) who only served 5 years of the potential 30 year term, and was then released. My husband Paul, has teamed with his father (writer of the song), and other family members and friends to produce this song/video as a memorial for Chelsea King and her family. It is our goal to raise awareness and change child rape laws in order to keep our kids safe! Please view and let us know what you think. You can also visit www.defendchildren.com to educate yourself further on this issue. Thanks for your time and support!

Happy Birthday Bella!

Prepare yourselves. It was Bella's 4th birthday this week, and we have a lot of pictures to commemorate our little girl growing up. I can't believe she's 4! As you will be able to see, Bella wanted a princess birthday complete with her Cinderella dress (made by the talented Nana Sus), her princess tiara, her sparkly princess shoes, a princess cake, and balloons, and a trip to - where else - Disneyland. Love her!

Princess Bella

If you look closely, you can actually see her tongue lifting the frosting from the cake.

Her sparkle shoes.

The partying was a little much for great-granny Freeman

Yummy!

Princess Jonah

Her favorite gift

Her second-favorite gift

Welcome to Disneyland

Nana having fun with her grand-babies on the carousel

On a horse at Disneyland = Heaven

Like Father like Son

Mom enjoying her ride

Jason being a very good sport

This picture is hilarious because they are making the exact same crooked grin

Preparing to meet the Disney Princesses

Sleeping Beauty - decidedly not asleep, as Bella kept pointing out

Jasmine

Jonah had a bit of a crush - wouldn't really leave her lap

Princess Tiana

The Fam with Nana and Papa Mike

Happy Birthday, Bella from the Happiest Place on Earth!

Brown was Boring ...

Not to rub it in, but ...

Happy President's Day

Fast Sunday, or very very slow?

I used to really enjoy the first Sunday of every month. In the LDS faith, it's a special Sunday where you fast for two meals and then have a meeting where individuals in the congregation can get up and bear testimony of the Savior, Jesus Christ. It can be a very spiritual day.

Recently, however, our testimony meetings have been heading in a different direction.

For example, today, 30 minutes of the meeting were eaten up by people sharing, in detail, their medical conditions. Why? Why do I have to sit there with my three children crawling all over me, in an overheated building, hoping to get some iota of spiritual fulfillment, and instead be left with how to inject yourself with insulin, why the doctors at UCLA are better than those in Santa Barbara, and how "idiot" (direct quote) doctors can't diagnose a paralyzed vocal chord?

Oh, sure. THAT was uplifting.

Happy Trails To You ...

Yesterday was a sad day in our house. We discovered that Bella's favorite place to ride had closed (El Capitan Ranch). Needless to say, she was distraught as she worried about what would become of "her horse", Lola (not actually her's, but the white lie is much cheaper than actually owning a horse). I explained that Lola will still be living with her friends at the ranch, but we would no longer be allowed to visit her. At that point, she told me I needed to give them money. They learn young. I explained that horses cost lots of money, and I didn't have enough to buy Lola. Suddenly, she exclaimed, "I have enough money!" She then ran off to retrieve her piggy bank full of about $2.00 in change.

So cute I could die.

This is why daddys buy their little girls horses.

I got BORED, and it was my BIRTHDAY so ...

I dyed my hair!

I figured I'd spend the last year of my 20's as a brunette.

Fun.

I RAN A MARATHON!!!!

No, I didn't. I just felt left out.

It's a Dirty Job ... and I've Got to Do IT!

I hate cleaning bathrooms. I've had to do it my whole life (well, I know I was doing it as early as middle school), and I loathe it. It's gross. It's even grosser (is that a word?) when you live with a ten year old boy. While we are on the subject, there is a reason boys are supposed to lift up the seat when they go to the bathroom. Why must they be reminded? The toilet was constructed that way for a specific purpose, and I for one, appreciate it when it is properly used.

On the other hand, I love to vacuum. It makes me so happy to see fresh vacuum tracks in the carpet. Everything seems so much cleaner and orderly with a freshly vacuumed floor. I find peace in that.

Only one resolution ...

The Highlight of Christmas Break (for my kids) ...

Christmas A.M.

Rise and Shine Kiddies

Who's Ready to see what Santa brought?

What did you get?

Merry Christmas!