Our Christmas

Greetings!

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and is looking forward to a Happy New Year! Speaking of the new year, the fresh start, the time of cleaning, organization and empty promises of a workout routine, I hope to have a few posts boasting of some organization in my home...mostly paperwork and toys which have recently multiplied and taken over everything...everywhere! I write that now so that someone will hold me accountable to actually doing it!

So here are few pics of Our Family's Christmas time. The four of us were joined by Al's dad(Bapa) and later by our friends Abe & Danielle(Ham & Yell) for Christmas Dinner. We enjoyed a Mexican dinner of steak tacos, beans, rice, chips, salsa, quacamole, cocunut shrimp with pineapple salsa, and Danielle's award-winning first timer tamales which shall never be forgotten.(they were amazing!) We finished off with a slice of pumpkin praline cheesecake, which was also amazing.

Christmas morning was magical for Nevaeh as she came out of her room to find our tree littered with gifts "Look , hmmm.. this one has a name on it, whose name is that?... hmmm, I think this says Nevaeh on it, hey does this says Nevaeh or somethin?" After patiently waiting for us to officially wake-up and coffee to be brewed, she joined us in prayer and praise to Jesus as we sang "Happy Birthday" and thanked our God for sending us His Son and for the wonderful year He has given us.

These are our new horses(we now have 5), Coco and Andrew

(and NO I did not buy any of them)
Kissing Coco

The Longest Blog Ever..

Wow! What a month! and its only half over! I feel I could post.. hmmm just about a gazillion posts and pics to fill you in on all that has been going on in our lives as of late. A family , friends, fun filled cold wintery trip to our hometown, Al's near death experience in El Salvador(riptide), Christmas decorating extravaganzas, Rufuge Chrismas Party at our house, and Amaryllis bloomed beautifully... and then died a smelly death.
I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...Enjoy! And Merry Christmas!

Our trip began with a 7hr (traffic) drive to Los Banos to spend Thanksgiving with Bapa and Ada. (note to self - never travel on the day before Thanksgiving ever again)

It was sooo relstfull, we spent the day cooking? Oh no no...not this year..we spent the day in our comfies, drinking coffee, playing tetrus, walking to the park, eating pizza and watching the firetrucks from the neighbors who almost blew up their house trying to deep fry a turkey.
(oh the things some people will due for extra calories)

The Park

Visiting Bapa at work

Next we headed to Grandma & Grandpa Terrasas' and Grandma Liz's house to enjoy a beautiful fall day and of course the train!

Al's Grandparents in their beautiful backyard with their train

As Al made his way south to El Salvador(and home again safely thank God after a riptide scare in the ocean, rescued by a man in a speedo) with the HS missions team, the girls and I made our way to Papa and Nana's house!

Cousins!
Neveah loves having cousins, she knows that they are like friends but better. She was always looking for her cousins. " Mom, where are my cousins?" "Are my cousins here yet?" " "Hey, Cooousins where are you ?"

More Cousins!

The Coplin Kiddos
Char joined baby Myles on the floor

Amaryllis grew and grew and finally bloomed several bright red flowers, unfortunatly due to miscommunication Amaryllis was over-watered and and we came home to a flooded, floating stinky and very dead flower. But she was beautiful while she lasted... we will probably get another.