Happy Bithday Batgran!

August is birthday month for the Mano'o clan and today is Batgran's turn. Happy birthday Mom! Hopefully this is the last birthday that the Washington, D.C. crew will miss. I hope you get spoiled with some nice chicken wings, rice and potato salad today. Just don't let Sachi cook and everything should turn out good!

Much alofas from all of us in D.C.

Happy Birthday Papa!

Dear Papa,

Ia manuia tele lou aso soifua! We hope that you have a wonderful day and may the Lord provide you with many many more birthdays in the future.

If you're still in Samoa, have a koko Samoa, luau and fasi talo for us!

Much alofas from the Washington, D.C. crew

Happy 9th Birthday Maddy!

We threw a birthday party for Maddy and his friends yesterday at our local bowling center. Most of his friends that weren't away on summer vacation came to have a few games, eat pizza & cupcakes and sing one of the worst renditions of 'Happy Birthday' that I'd ever heard. We managed to sing it in 3 different octaves and with 2 different tempos.

The party was organized chaos. Rach did a great job of controlling things despite the other adult at the party (I plead the 5th Amendment for fear of incriminating myself) going off script.

We capped off the day with a Sakura Japanese restaurant dinner where we all ate too much.

Why a bowling birthday party? So he can showcase his form, of course

!

These are the boys Rach and I had to chase after during the party

Horsing around with Lars

Showing his friends how to enter their names in the computer

Happy Birthday BatGran!

A big happy birthday goes out to our dearest BatGran from the whole crew here in DC. Wish we were there to celebrate with you at the Japanese restaurant Mom!

Manuia Lou Aso Fanau Papa!

Happy 67th birthday Papa! Judging from the photos posted on Isla's website you are still looking young and malosi, malo lava Dad! We hope you had a good day and we will celebrate your birthday with a piece of cake here in New York. Much alofas from all of us.

Maddys 8th Birthday

At Silver Diner for dessert & cake

At Sakura for Maddy's 8th Birthday

So happy Daddy is back home with us. Maddy and I missed him bigtime. We are so looking forward to our vacation in a few days. We are going on a road trip to Pennsylvania to see historial sites and stay for the night. Then onto New York for two nights and then to Niagara Falls (NY) for another two nights. It's been a long while since we've had a family vacation and we are definitely going to make the most of it before Daddy is off again in three weeks. He's going to Albania & Moldova.

Happy 8th Birthday Son!

Barefoot Maddy @ 4 years old

Maddy is growing up so quickly. What happened to my little Samoan speaking, barefoot 4 year old? It seems like only yesterday that we were walking down a gravel path on the National Mall when our 4 year old Maddy kicked off his shoes to walk barefoot because he said his shoes made his feet hot. I can still remember the look of horror other parents were giving us as they walked by.

I'll see you tomorrow night son, Sakura here we come again!

Happy Birthday Cousin Micah :)

Hip Hip Hooray, can't believe you're TWO today :)
Hope you have a habby habby birthday and eat lots of cake and goodies too
and I hope the PO finds your home address second time round lol.

Much Love Always Uncle Matt, Aunty Rachel & Cousin Maddy xox

PS Happy Anniversary Aunty Sachi & Uncle Mark :)

Happy Birthday Mommy!

Mommy started her birthday event early with a Skype session with her family in NZ that lasted throughout the wee hours of the morning. The joy of that reconnection lasted throughout the day in the form of a smile that wouldn't go away. Daddy arrived home after work with a bunch of flowers and we ended the evening with a birthday dinner at the Silver Diner where we ate too much! Now we're all settling in to watch the first episode of the final season of Lost, a perfect way to end a very nice day. Happy birthday Mommy!

Maddy enjoying Mommy's birthday

All smiles

Mom's choice of cake: cheesecake of course!

Happy birthday Mommy!

Happy Birthday Dillon

Celebrating Dillons 7th birthday @ his home :)

Yummy Vanilla & Chocolate cakes :)

Birthday shoutout to Aunty Lagi

Happy Belated Birthday Aunty Lagi

Maddy says "Hope you had a lovely day and hope you got lots of presents" lol

Much Love, Maddy, Matt and Rachel xox

Happy Birthday Nana

Much Love, Matt, Maddy and Me xox

Happy Birthday Papa!

Hope you have a lovely day, from all of us in the US of A!
PS. Check your email for your surprise :)

A Big Thank You

... For all the wonderful birthday presents Maddy received from his family and friends.

Mini-Golf Birthday Party

Dinosaur Cake (someone had already removed two of the dinosaurs before I got a chance to take a picture of the cake lol)

Dillon and Maddy enjoying their pizza and drinks

@ the Jefferson Miniature Golf Facility

Food Time

Enjoying each others company

Avery, Gavin and Gregory

Domenico and Nino

Michael, Maddy, Avery and Dillon

The Boys

Happy 7th Birthday Son!

After a lengthy teeth cleaning session for the three of us at the Dentist this morning, we decided to take Madison out for lunch at one of his favorite restaurants, Sakura - Japanese Steak, Seafood and Sushi Bar, to celebrate his birthday. His actual birthday party is not till next Saturday as it was the only day available to play mini golf.

We enjoyed Hibachi style cooking where the chef cooks in front of you - very entertaining and very yummy food. After the main course, the waiter bought in a cheesecake with a candle on it, and sang happy birthday to him. Mommy and Daddy got to enjoy it on his behalf LOL.

We also got a surprise call from Papa and Nana, after visiting Best Buy for his birthday present - a Wii game console and game of his choice - lucky boy. It was nice to hear from them both. We can't wait to see Nana and the rest of the Mano'o Clan in September :)

Happy Birthday Aunty Mona

Wishing you a happy and joyful birthday :)

Miss you heaps, love Rach, Matt & Maddy xxx

Happy Birthday Uncle Lloyd

Lloyd is the big one standing next to Mum LOL

Happy 40th birthday bro, Love Us xox

Happy Birthday Cousin Micah!

Have fun on your birthday, eat lots of yummy goodies and hope you get lots of pressies too.

Love always, Uncle Matt, Aunty Rach and Cuzzie Maddy xox

My b'day muffin cake

So much for Maddy helping me out with my blueberry muffin cake LOL I had to do it all myself, but that's ok, I purchased a ready-to-make mixture that only needed water added LOL Yup, my kind of baking. We had no icing nor b'day candles but that's ok, we will make do with the sprinkles.

I spent the morning volunteering at Maddy's school library for an hour then cleaned up the house before Maddy got home from school around 12.45pm. We watched a movie together (Space Chimps) then I made the muffin cake. On Wednesday I get to spoil myself by getting my hair done (long overdue) and a spa treatment (manicure and pedicure). Thanks Daddy & Maddy :)

Thanks for the birthday wishes family and friends :o)