happy birthday charlotte.

happy birthday to you!
happy birthday to you!
happy birthday little charlotte,
happy birthday to you!

little charlotte,
it was exactly a year ago (our time) that we got to finally meet you. ella stayed up late, waiting in the waiting room in her pajamas, just waiting to get a glimpse of you. we were so happy that you were a girl and that ella would have a sister cousin. we were all so excited to see you and hold you, especially ella. you have always had your mom's good looks and your dad's temperament, and i am sure you always will.
we hope that you had a great day celebrating your first birthday in california. i am sure you enjoyed your delicious birthday breakfast. we wish we could be there to celebrate with you. have you gotten your birthday present from us? we hope you will like it. we love you and we can't wait to play with you. see you in two weeks!

la fille

i am pleased to announce that in august the girls will overtake the house. the boys will be outnumbered 3 to 2...we are having another girl! ella always knew the baby was going to be a girl. even before i knew i was pregnant she was telling me that she was going to have a sister. she thinks we should name the baby tinkerbell and got very upset when i told her that was not a choice. don't know quite how beckett will respond. i am just hoping his sweetness stays with him and that he doesn't turn on me come august.

we are having the baby here in morocco. we opted out of maternity coverage upon moving here because we did not plan on getting pregnant this year and....surprise! the medical costs here are amazingly cheap. i get my blood taken for about $15 and have a check up with an ultrasound for about $20. it is great. we will actually be able to pay for the delivery (including epidural) in cash. pretty cool.

i am seeing a great doctor. she was trained in france and has delivered lots of babies in our community. she knows some english, but things do get lost in translation so one of my friends goes with me to my appointments (she was a labor and delivery nurse back in the states.) i feel very well cared for. now, about the clinic. i haven't been there yet. haven't done the whole "tour" thing. just kidding, they don't do that here. what i do know about the clinic is that there is a vip room that i will be requesting because it is a room by myself and has a shower and air conditioning (august is way hot here!) it should be an adventure to say the least.

ouarzazate (war-zah-zat)

there was a moroccan holiday last week so we were able to take a long weekend trip to oarzazate (best known lately for the city where babel was filmed.) it was the best vacation we have had in a long time. we got to have down time as a family and hang out with some great friends. the guys got to spend the day on dirt bikes and quads while the girls got to spend good time together watching the kids and eating lunch at the habbous. we went and toured a studio where they have film movies and then to kasbah where they filmed gladiator, which is one of my favorite movies so i was really excited. the day would not have been complete without some shopping in local stores with some friendly moroccan hospitality. in one of the shops we were served tea and had a djembe jam session where even beckett participated.

a five hour drive turned into eight, but we couldn't complain because we had the most beautiful view. about 3 hours of the drive was through the mountains so you can imagine our conversation...diana: slow down! slow down! scott: diana, we aren't going to die.




view of ouarzazate from the balcony at our hotel


too cold to swim but ella gets a little wet.


sweet face.


after dinner music provided by andy and a local.


the castle in the kingdom of heaven. now i am motivated to see the movie.


ella on the cleopatra set.


a door from the set of moses.


family pic on the set of gladiator.





happy b.



kasbah - where some of gladiator was filmed. it is the part where maximus first becomes a gladiator...where they have training and the first arena fights.




ella's muscles.


hold on tight!


all ready to go! only in morocco will they let a 3 year old go on a quad with no safety gear. ella was laughing the whole hour on the quad and cried when she had to get off.


stopping in the mountains on the way home to see some snow. ella shows me her "cold face."


this is how ella spends her time in the car.


this is how b spends his time in the car...playing with a marker.

happy birthday beckett.

here we were a year ago. so happy to finally hold you and have you in my arms. you were sweet from day one. when friends and family called that day and asked about you, all i knew was that you were so sweet, and you still are. it is amazing how the Lord knows exactly what we need. he knew we needed you in our family. we love you more than you will know, even ella. you two are best friends. you follow her around most of the day and you watch everything she does and you try to copy her (yes, even brushing your hair and putting in bows.) you are still a mama's boy and still love to cuddle. you love being a boy with daddy and you two could laugh together for hours. thank you for a wonderful year. happy birthday, sweet beckett.


beckett had a superman party. we all sore the approriate colors: red, blue, or yellow. beckett is getting some help blowing out his candle from ella.


beckett enjoys his cupcake.


beautiful boy


cupcake madness...we had a cupcake bar.


ezra sports his superman outfit and shows his muscles.


happy ella.


happy birthday boy.