Christmas Blessings

WOW, what a difference a year can make! This time last year, Jose & I were struggling, stressed, not knowing what we were going to do for anything. The Lord came through and blessed us tremendously! I praise Him & give him ALL the glory! This year, God spoke to Jose & I both, separately and we were able to bless a family in our church that wasn't able to provide Christmas for their family. And still have a great Christmas for ours...What an AWESOME God I serve!
This year, we were more focused on the "needs" of our children and what we bought to be more "useful" rather than just "another toy/game". Also, God spoke to my heart and told me to bless a special somebody in my life...my Honey! I saved up and was able to make a couple of Ben Franklin's since resigning with Pampered Chef. So I teamed up with my compadres and had Noe help me buy my Honey a GUITAR! Jose has had a yearning to learn the guitar and start playing. This is something I believe God placed in his heart, I don't know why, my husband can't keep a beat to save his life, but OK, if it's God's will & doing, I'm all in!
So Christmas morning, we all opened our gifts. After we were all done, Jose went to go get more coffee & we stopped him. I pointed to the note on the tree that just had a few things written to him & explained to him that he was going to go on a hunt. WAIT, let me back up...I wrapped up his new picks & guitar strap (he has a guitar my grandpa gave him, so I made it look as though I bought stuff for that guitar). Well, the hunt began, to each of the kids' rooms. Everyone wrote something positive to him on the note & sent him to the next destination, ending in my mom's room, behind her door, where he found his case (I told him he had to open the case to find his "strings"). Inside the case was more than "just strings", it was his guitar with a note that I slipped inside, pouring my heart out to him of what God has instructed me to do. Well, needless to say, there were LOTS of tears!
He got to enjoy his guitar for a while, the kids their stuff and we prepared to head off to my Grandpa & Grandma Roof's house to have dinner. Here's some pics from our day...

Jose & I

Ooooh La La


My Cute Grandpa


My GORGEOUS Cousin Lourdes & Bryan


My cute Grandma with her Pippy


Aunt Vonnie playing ball with the kids


Grandpa & Alli


Bryan & I


Mexican Train with Lourdes, Ant, Alli, Adrian, Adi & Jose


What it's all for!



Family tradition of getting the olives onto ALL 10 fingers!


Then to eat them off...



The Little Sisters


My babies & I


Little & my crazy socks


My pretty little girl


Look at Miss Santa Baby


The littles


Time for Wii


The journey for his gift begins...




Tears of joy


Isn't she purty!!!


Checking it out

The smile says it all


And those are just the pics Honey, you just wait ;-)



Opening her first Christmas present

Well lookie here

My Grandpa made the paper! If you know my Grandpa, he is a VERY knowledgeable man that has been gifted of knowledge in politics...Not my favorite subject, but that's ok. He informed me through an email that Rep. Jerry Lewis (who was a local Senator that assisted in bringing Jose back to the states when they tried deporting him) was planning on having a rally in Redlands. Like I said, I'm not too big into politics, so I didn't think twice about going.
Well, my Grandpa & all his wisdom submitted a question to ask Rep. Jerry Lewis & was chosen. He just so happened to be the second person to ask the question & the paper snapped his pic and put him on the front cover on the PE.
My Grandma called me Friday morning & said, "Your Grandpa said to go buy the paper." I of course said, "OK." But then asked curiously, "Why?" She said, "Grandpa just said to call you and tell you to go buy the paper, it's a surprise. Call us when you get it."
So I told my mom & she ran out to get it.
She came home with paper in hand and this is what I saw...


HEY, That's My Grandpa In There!!!!!!!!
Isn't he handsome!?!?!?
If you didn't know, I love my Grandpa!

Happy Veteran's Day!

Just a few thoughts...
I am a grandaughter & cousin of Veteran's and I am PROUD to be one!
I do truly pray that I can instill the pride into my children and one day one of my children will choose to serve our country with pride (as hard as that is to say, it is a true desire of my heart). I am proud to be part of my family and friend to all those who have served, are still serving and to Alvie, who just enrolled
So on this day not only do I want to honor ALL Veteran's for their service, but I want to 'shout out' to my Grandpa


My Cousins


A Prayer For Our Men & Women
We ask for blessings on all those who have served their country in the armed forces.
We ask for healing for the veterans who have been wounded, in body and soul, in conflicts around the globe.
We pray especially for the young men and women, in the thousands, who are coming home from Iraq with injured bodies and traumatized spirits.
Bring solace to them, O Lord; may we pray for them when they cannot pray.
We ask for, echoing John Paul II, an end to wars and the dawning of a new era of peace,
As a way to honor all the veterans of past wars.

Have mercy on all our veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq,
Bring peace to their hearts and peace to the regions they fought in.
Bless all the soldiers who served in non-combative posts;
May their calling to service continue in their lives in many positive ways.

Give us all the creative vision to see a world which, grown weary with fighting,
Moves to affirming the life of every human being and so moves beyond war.
Hear our prayer, O Prince of Peace, hear our prayer.