Enough bling for you? Gotta love it! Kevin went out on his own and picked this ring out for me. Now those of you who know me well know I just love a big pile of diamonds on my fingers right NOT LOL I lost my wedding rings 2 summers ago and have procrastinated buying new ones becuase that would mean actually giving up that I would ever find my other sets and I couldn't face that. Well I waited too long and Kevin went out and found me a set on his own. You know what that means, any wife will tell you, if your husband goes out and buys you a $7000 ring .... I had better get used to them!!! :)

Ariel helped me make christmas cookies today. She is the only one not sick so she is awake and chipper and wanting to do the various christmas things we always do. She was trying to wake me up since about 7am. I finally drug my sick butt out of bed and we cheated a little bit and used a box mix for our peanut butter kiss cookies but they are sooooo good.

Ariel had her first school musical. She was so cute dressed in her red satin shirt and red bows. Her kindergarten sang Rudolph the red nosed reindeer. Very cute program.

My Christmas Angels

"It's Been a Whole Year",
by Norma Fonseca

It's been a whole year, Since you went away,
to Heaven above on a cold November day.
It's been a whole year, Since I heard you say,
"I love you Gramma", in your special way.
It's been a whole year, Since I felt your touch,
with a great big hug, Oh, I miss you so much.
It's been a whole year, and still I cry,
for the love we shared, and wonder why.
It's been a whole year, with many a tear,
how lonely it is without you here.
It's been a whole year, and to God I pray,
please help me make it through another day.
It's been a whole year, and I sit and wait,
to see you again at Heaven's gate.

Please remember to keep my Aunt Norma and Ginny in your prayers. It's been a whole year but they still need prayers just to make it through the day.

Have you seen this kid? The one with the soft blond curls, cute little smile that loved to wrestle with his big cousins??


I know this can't be him with the uniform. Tattoos and the tanks!





What a handsome, courageous young man he has become. We are all very proud of him. We are lucky we have him and those like him who care to fight for the freedom of our country and our way of life.

Way to go Christopher!!!

I came across this picture while looking for some for my "Book of me" that I am doing. It's so hard to believe this was only 3 years ago. I was in California starting a new job, a new life, a new home, a new car. Did I mention with all new people??? Did I make the right decision to come back? Is anyone better off that I am here? I was going to come back for all my girls as soon as I got settled. My boys don't seem any better. Kevin and I are a million times better. It's a toss up. I could have had so much better quality of life. But no Kevin. I am glad I came back but hey, I'm glad when I eat 16 brownies. Just becuase I am glad doesnt make it better for all.

A Different Christmas Poem


The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."

"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

Quote of the day by my sister Tammy:

Everyone can put a pencil in their ear but me!!!

Yeah Tam if only you could stick a pencil in your ear you'd be okay....

See, I knew there was something wrong with me. I knew I had some type of mental defect LOL

What mental disorder do you have? Your Result: Paranoia You are constantly thinking about what others may be saying about you behind your back. You may also feel people have conspiracies against you, or they are out to get you. In crowds you may feel like everybody is watching to closely.
ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)
Manic Depressive
OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder)
What mental disorder do you have?

Take it yourself and see! I bet there's something wrong with you too!

Ariel and Kevin and Alex play this dumb game where they mock each other and the other one says "stock mocking me" then they all start saying "stock mocking me" over and over until I go nuts. Ariel and Evan did it non-stop for 3 weeks. Now they just say it at all the time for no reason whether anyone is mocking them or not. I say Ariel did you do your homework and she says "stock mocking me" you get the picture.... Well she had a book fair the other night. We walk in and there are a few other kids there and they all look at Ariel and she gets this big smile on her face and they all in unison say, you guessed it, "stop mocking me", stop mocking me" over and over and the teacher is telling them "I told you to stop saying that and they are all saying "stop mocking me" over and over. I could even hear the kids in the hallway saying it. She is such a little leader :)

My babies went back home today. I could not be there. I cry too much and will get all emotional. So I took yesterday off and spent their last day playing and opened a couple gifts. Then Alex and Evan took them to the airport this morning.

It was a wonderful vacation but exhausting! I dont know how Monica does it. I dont remember how I used to do it. I will be sad for a couple of days going home to the quietness. It was nice seeing all those happy little faces running around when I got home from work. Ariel is going to be sad. I should have got her a ticket to go with them but she had school and I had second thoughts on spending another $300 when I didnt know how much I would need to do the things I wanted to with the boys. We did good though. We went everywhere we could possibly go and did everything we wanted to do.

Give me a week to recuperate and I will be missing them again!!!

Just look at what she is doing to me. Knit hats? Antlers? what does she think I am a Baby Gap model or something? I'm not even getting paid!




Dear God please take that camera away from her before I go blind.



Here's a smile for you Nana! I am smiling are you happy! I am nuts now. I have finally went completely crazy brain dead from the camera flashes.

Remember the love! Remember the joy and happiness of the life of little Serenity! She has been gone for one year today. This is going to be a very very hard day for her mother and grandmother. Please remember them today and pray that their hearts are filled with peace and joy in remembering how loved she was.

Remember how much you love your family today. Everything you say and everything you do could be the last thing that happens before you or they are called home forever. What would you want them to remember as your last words or actions? If I die tomorrow I want my babies to remember me kissing them goodnight and tucking them in, maybe reading them a story and telling them I love them. I want them to remember going to the beach in November just so I can get shots of the boys by the water for my scrapbooking. I want them to remember me hanging out at Chuck E Cheese with them for 5 hours! I want them to remember me taking unauthorized pictures of them talking to santa even when I saw the "no personal photographs" sign and was getting dirty looks from the elves. I want them to remember me crawling around looking under couches at 5am looking for binkies. I want them to remember the look on Gamp Gamps face when he saw that I bought him and Brenden matching pj's so I could take their picture in them!!! Remember the look on my face when I am trying to tell Ariel about Jesus and SHE tells ME he is in heaven peeking down to make sure we are okay. Please treat your loved ones with love and kindness. You just dont know who will still be here tomorrow!

At The Beach In November!

Catch us if you can!