Happy Birthday Mom!

Ma/Flo/Mom had a birthday yesterday! Bella was nice enough to pick out a present (a plastic plate!) for her, draw some pictures and write her name on her birthday card.

Bella helps Ma open a present from Mark and Icha.


Bella gives Ma her birthday card.


The ever so helpful Bella helps Ma open her card.


Bella shows Ma where she wrote he name in the card.


Bella proudly points out the beautiful drawings she has made in the card!


Bella gives Ma a 'happy birthday kiss.' The second best present mom got yesterday!

Breakfast at the Moreys

Last Sunday Mark brought the "Little Bellsters" over to Monica's house for a morning playdate with Brooke and Ryan. It was also a mini 'send off' breakfast for Maria... who took off for 9 nine days in Ireland the next morning.

Maria and Monica discuss the various hotels in Belfast.


The Bellsters and Brookemiester do some fun crafts.


Maria getting ready to fire up some scrambled eggs.


The three kids enjoy playing Clifford on the computer.


Monica, clearly showing her age, needed to take a nap in the middle of all the excitement.

Ma is laid up...

The venerable and always on the go "Ma" has been down with a bad cold for nearly ten days! Ma has been resting all day... only getting out once and a while for a meal or a movie.

If you haven't done so already... send her an email or a get well card!

Maybe a diet of hot fudge sundaes and See's candy is not the best way to get healthy... but in the name of science, someone has to try it!


GET WELL SOON MA!

Dancing Queens!

Don't let the innocent looks of Jordo, Bella and Lauren fool you. These three are not only cousins and great friends -- they are also DANCING QUEENS!

Quiet and calm? I don't think so....


Time to boogie on down!

Out on the Links

On December 31st Monica, Luke, Mark and Rick played out their semi-annual golf challenge. Playing for high stakes the pairing of Morey & Morey took on the vaunted two-some of Murnane & Scouffas. While the actual scorecard mysteriously disappeared right after the round was completed... observers of the match recall it was like all other such head to head battles between these two pairings: another easy victory of Murnane & Scouffas.

Which team went home the winner? While no proof of the actual score exists... first hand accounts of Morey & Morey walking off the course empty handed (once again) seem to leave no doubt which is the superior golfing tandem.

Christmas Morning at the Morey's!

For Christmas morning this year we all got together at Monica and Luke's house! We kicked the day off with Pa's famous breakfast (and a few Chuck's donuts) before letting the kids attack the huge pile of presents under the tree.

Bella checks out all the presents.


The breakfast that has made Pa famous around the world.


Mark, Pa, Ma and Maria (holding sausage on a skewer) get ready for a huge breakfast.


Is there a better way to start off the day....?


After breakfast the kids went to work!


Monica shows off her new club.... The "BIG MO!"


Mark's favorite gift: a Van Halen concert tee-shirt! (Note: Mark saw Eddie and the boys live back in 1984 and even quoted D.L. Roth in his senior write-up in his High School yearbook)


Once again: Ma and Pa reduced to tears.... :-)

Our Annual Family Dinner

On Sunday, December 23rd all the Murnanes (along with Luke's parents and Brett's dad) had our annual Christmas dinner at the Soleil restaurant in the Westin Hotel in Palo Alto. This is the 6th or 7th year in a row we've had our dinner together... and once again it was excellent!

Lauren, Bella and Ryan pal around before dinner.


What is going on under this table?


Hi Bella!


Dinner time! The little ones ate together first.. then retired to a private room to watch videos and play while the adults had dinner.


Ryan, Jordan, Michele and Maria enjoy the evening.