Any one want a Tortilla!!

The girls got a little taste of their heritage this last week.  While my Abuelita was visiting we decided to make tortillas.  Watching my girls make tortillas with my grandma took me back to some of my sweetest most cherished memories as a little girl.  I use to go to my grandmas almost every Friday after school and spend the weekend with her in Mexico( its was only about 20 min. from our house).  They had a big ranch with every animal that belonged on a ranch.  I would  work right beside her so proud and excited to be there.  I would have to help milk the goat and make cheese, feed the animals and sweep the dirt!  Yes, in Mexico they sweep their dirt!  A couple of times I even went to cock fights with my grandpa(that's another story).  I would swim in the irrigation canals and eat mango's in their hammocks all day! I loved it and never got board with going their.  It was another way of life, and I Loved it!  I wish my girls could experience those sweet memories on the ranch, but times have changed and its OK!  I look at them with their great grandma and the joy they feel with her and how they love her with them, and in a small way they are experiencing what I had, and that brings me a deep peace within my soul, and a realization that it wasn't all the fun I had their.  It was the great love of my Abuelita and Abuelo!

Go BOBO GO!!!!!!

Go BoBo Go!!!  The Saturday after Halloween we went to the State Fair!  My grandma(Abuelita) was with us and we wanted to take her to do something fun and different from what she is use to so Rich found  out about this Banana Derby at the fair and we were there!  I haven't laughed this hard and loud in a long time!  It was the funniest thing I've ever seen!  These monkeys sit on these dogs backs and they race.  The funniest thing is that these monkeys really get into it. The one in yellow was bouncing up and down like a real Jockey in a horse race!  The girls thought it was the greatest thing ever as did I!  We also went to the petting zoo, which was crazy!  They had a zebra, giraffe, lama, camels and all other kinds of animals!  It was fun!!   

Happy Halloween!!!

Hooray for Halloween!!!   We had started to talk about what each of the girls wanted to be back in September (because I just get so excited about these things)  and one day we were driving to the mall to get ideas, as we were driving  I got all kinds of different answers from Emeli and Eden and Sarah all of a sudden started to yell "my turn my turn"  so I asked her thinking it would be something her sisters had just said  Nope!  In her deepest voice very sure of her self says " I want to be a turtle!"  I about died from laughing so hard.  So we walk into the mall and guess what we found the turtle costume!  As we walked out of the store she was beaming with pride holding her bag!   A couple of weeks latter Emeli told me she needed to be a rainbow fairy  and Eden a yellow fairy!

So this year we decided to have a family Halloween party!!  We had a lot of fun and it all made Halloween so much more festive and fun!  We had a donut eating contest, a pumpkin rolling contest and a little dance contest, and of course lots of yummy food!! Afterwards we took the kids trick or treating and some stayed behind to pass out candy.  It was fun to be surrounded by friends and spend the evening together eating, playing, and laughing!  I looked around and felt so grateful and blessed for good friends and good friends for my children.  Friends that become a part of you and are more like family then just friends!   Thanks everyone for everything and we missed those of you who couldn't be there! A tradition was born so plan on it next year!  We had fun and the Kids loved it!!!  

Oh no my tooth feel out Mom!!!!!!

Emeli's tooth finally fell out!!  This poor tooth has been knocked loose at least 3 times that I can think of since Christmas!  The first time it was knocked loose it tighten up after a couple of months.  I was just sick to my stomach thinking the whole time that my child would be toothless for years!  I was so upset about it and each time she knocked it looser that i guess she thought it was a bad thing, so finally when Sarah head butted Emeli in the mouth and her tooth went flying across the room she panicked and started crying and yelling "mom my tooth my tooth!!!  Oh no oh no, don't be mad mom!"  After I could calm her down and explain 100 times that I wasn't upset and that that is what is suppose to happens to teeth (that is baby ones) we had to take pictures!! Then i went to my room and wanted to cry that I traumatized her so bad! I guess sometimes we don't realize how much our reactions effect our kids!  Lesson learned!!!   If you look closely you can see her permanent one already poking out!  Congratulations Emeli!!!

Oh what FUN at Grandmas!!!

This last week for a couple of days we went to Grandma and Grandpa Wayas's while Rich was in Spain for work. I had to get my mind off the fact that I wasn't with him!  Anyways Grandma bought all the grand kids baby chicks so that they could have a project together.  Let me tell you this has been a very big deal to my girls and they had been bugging me for days that they needed to go pick their chicks out and before they were all grown up.  So we went and the girls absolutely loved it!!!  I couldn't pull them away from them from the minute they woke up till they went to bed!  I must say I was a little worried for the Chicks lives so its a good thing Grandma had so many other fun things to do.  We would tell them "lets go ride the horse or the quads because the chicks need to sleep then you can come back and hold them" it was pretty funny to watch all three of them  the minute they were done with the activity they would beeline it to the chicks all trying to catch their chick.  By the end they were pretty good at it!  

It was so beautiful out there!  It had just rained so the desert was alive!  Rich's parents live in a dream land for a little kid!!  Its out side of Wickenburg in a little town called Congress in the middle of the most beautiful desert!  I am always amazed at the wildlife out there!!!  We love it and its always so relaxing, because you literally are in the middle of nowhere!!  We had a lot of fun!!

Happy 4th of July!!

Happy 4th of July!!!  This year we went to my parents house in Yuma.  We had a lot of fun together.  My mom kept telling the girls she had a pool for them to swim in.  I had to laugh pretty hard when she pulled it out( I guess you could say she's a little paranoid of drowning).  Emeli thought it was pretty funny.  We all laughed so hard the next day she went and bought the slip n slide. 

 Every year in Yuma on the 4th of July before the fireworks they have a demolition derby.  For the last couple of years my little brother Scotty has entered the derby.  He loves the thrill of it all and proudly advertises our family business's name SignMasters.  Who wouldn't love driving all crazy in the mud crashing into everyone and hoping to win the pot of gold at the end!  It was a lot of fun to watch.  My kids loved it and thought that Uncle Scotty was the most daring and bravest uncle of all time!  Emeli did get a little nervous when his engine blew up ( I think she saw my reaction)!   He was OK.  I guess its all part of the thrill!! 

 It was the neatest thing before they started the derby the announcer over the intercom welcomed everyone and gave thanks for our beautiful  USA and the freedoms we enjoy.  He then went on to thank all of the Military men and women actively serving.   Then he asked for all who were in the Military or had a loved one who was serving at the time stand.  Can I just say what an AWESOME sight it was (Yuma is a very Military town with 2 very large bases) and the reverent feeling that came over the stadium  as everyone yelled and cheered out of PRIDE for our Country and the people who sacrifice all for us.  I was so grateful to be there! 

 Having a Grandpa who served in the Military in WWII has instilled a great respect and I am so grateful for him and the lessons he taught me of the price of our FREEDOM!  In  that moment I had my own little moment of great gratitude and love for all that these great men and women present and past for what they have sacrificed for me. So publicly I express my greatest thanks and love.    

I was so glad that my children could experience that moment and the true reason of why we clebrate the 4th of July.  Afterwards we went and sat in my brothers truck and watched the fireworks!  The kids loved it and loved being with there cousins (well as you can see Eden loved it till they started to go off.  We were so close that the big Boom was a little to much for her.)  We had a great weekend!  Love you all!!!

The Miracle of Blogging

Ok maybe its because I am still so new to the blogging world, but I am so amazed with it!!  I'm so excited and I just can't hide it!!! Hee Hee  Anyways I have been able to find so many long lost pals and get in touch again.  Also to just stay in touch with family and friends on an almost every day level in this crazy busy world.  Its Great!! Isn't it funny how you can not talk to an old friend in years, even a decade and just pick up like you never lost any time, except for the fact that our bodies have changed a little ( I don't know about this 30 thing).  Anyways it just made me think how we all are truly connected in heart and spirit!  And how silly it may sound I think this whole blogging thing is a little miracle in our lives.  It makes us all feel so loved to hear from our friends and family and to know  that we are all interested in each others every day lives.  Its a beautiful way to share in each others joys,adventures and even sorrows!  I just LOVE IT!!!!  I love you all and keep on blogging and sharing a bit of you with me and the world!! 

Letting go (just a little)!!!

   This may sound silly to some, but if you know me well I'm kind of a freak when it comes to letting go of my kids.  I guess I have the Mother Hen syndrome!  Let me explain. You will be so proud of me because I'm so proud of my self I must say!!  Yesterday my parents were in town and Emeli called me as we were driving home wanting to know where Grandma and Grandpa were and whywas it taking so long.  She proceeded to tell me she knew they were going back home and that they hadn't spent enough time with her and she needed them!  For some crazy reason I mentioned to her "well would you like to go to Yuma all by your self with them for a couple of days"  oh my goodness the excitement on the other end of the phone was priceless.  I went on to tell her "we are on our way and we'll talk about it when we get home".  When I hung up I thought I better ask Grandma if that was OK and of course she was excited, but a little shocked that I would let her go.  After all the talk of it my mind was racing and  I thought to my self what did I just do!!!!   As I thought about it all I realized I needed to let go a little and that it would be so good for the both of us.  It was something that I needed to do!  So we packed her up and she was on her way dancing all around full of excitement that is until I loaded her into the car.  I looked at her and her bottom lip began to quiver and big huge crocodile tears streamed down her cheeks.  I hugged her tight and told her she was going to have so much fun and how much I loved her, and of course one last little plug that if she really didn't want to go she didn't have to.  I know I'm horrible!  She proclaimed her independence and said "Mom I'm sad because I'm going to miss you so much, but I still really want to go".  I kissed her a couple more times and we said goodbye!!  I felt a little sick to my stomach just till I knew they were home safe:)  

It is amazing how with one less child  how fast bedtime is and breakfast and everything else :)   I do miss her, but I know she is having the time of her life and I am excited for her and her new found Independence.   Oh and by the way each time I've called  to say goodnight or good morning to her she says hi and that she's got to go.  There is no time for long talks ( what was I thinking that this would be hard for her).   Rich and I have already begun to talk of when we could leave all three of them!!!! HEE HEE HEE  

"I Have Chloe Hair!"

Eden was so excited to have hair like her older cousin Chloe.  At Disneyland we saw a little girl with a bob, and I kept telling Rich I wanted to cut Eden's hair like that, but I was to scared. Then for Memorial weekend we went out to Grandma and Grandpa Wayas's house and lo and behold Chloe had her hair cut like I'd been wanting so Aunt Sasha being very skilled in the girl ways (having grown up with 3 sisters) cut her hair!  Eden has been walking around telling everyone she sees that she got a hair cut and that she has Chloe hair.  She is so proud of it!!!  

My Joys!!

Every time I look at these pictures I get a little teary eyed and think how blessed I am.   A very close friend of ours took these pictures and when I looked at them for the first time I just started to cry.  He captured our little family so well and what I feel deep in my soul for my children and my Richie.   I am so grateful to a loving Father in Heaven who blesses our lives with loved ones.  I am so grateful to be a mommy and a wife.  I can not imagine my life without my greatest joys!!  As I have spent many hours in hospitals the last couple of years.  I have had many hours to contemplate life and how fragile it is and how I need my Father in Heaven and my Savior Jesus Christ at every moment of my life.  After the birth of each of my babies the thought has come to my mind this is what I was meant to do with my life, be a mommy! I am grateful for these pictures because in the chaos of life and raising my girls and everything else in between I need little reminders of those feelings and truly what brings me JOY!  I hope you enjoy my pics and know of my love for you and how grateful I am for you my good friends and family. 

Our Disneyland Trip!!!

We had so much fun!!!   We were so excited to see the girls reactions to all the characters and to just see them light up with excitement!   This was Eden's and Sarah's first time and it was just so much fun to see there faces light up every time they saw a character they knew, and to hear the screeches of pure bliss.  This place truly is the happiest place on earth!!  It was so nice to escape everyday life and to just have fun together as a family (with no cleaning involved). It was so much fun to go with Emeli, because she didn't need a nap everyday and she was so excited to go on some big rides that Rich and I love.  Some of her favorites were Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain and the Soaring over California.  Eden loved Buzz Lightyear, finding Nemo, the rocket ship one and the little roller coaster in Toontown .  Sarah's favorites were Dumbo and running all over Toontown.  We think they got the biggest kick out of all the shows and parades.  We weren't allowed to miss one!  It was just so much fun to just laugh and play together all week!!     

We were all in heaven to have Rich with us 24/7,  he has been gone so much with work and putting in long hours for a major project and this was our celebration of it being done!!  Yippee!!!!  Rich went back to work yesterday and at nap time Eden just sat in bed crying (i need poppy i want poppy) over and over again!  They think we should still all sleep together in one room, because its just so much fun and we love each other so much!  It was fun for the time and we do love each other so much, but mom and dad need a little lovin!!  

Well duty calls and the piles of laundry need some attention!   Have a wonderful day and I'll talk to you soon!!! Love Ya!!