Making our Gingerbread House 2008

This is our family's Gingerbread House for 2008. The kids really got into the spirit of Christmas and each had their own tree to decorate. Most of the decorations for Derek landed in his tummy as well as the frosting to glue the house. Our house even had a light inside! Oops...I never actually took a picture of the end product...the HOUSE! It will live in our memories until next year...jaja

My Flowers - Artshow December 6, 2008

Ana, these pictures are for you! The show was a success and the girls loved knowing mom had made all of these flowers. These are flowers with Swarovski crystals that I make for girls hairs and we sold them at the girls' art show at school this year, called Winter Wonderland.

Snowday - December 4th, 2008

Well, we got back from sunny Guatemala yesterday December 3rd to a Snowday December 4th. The kids of course had fun and no school, and Derek had to be all decked out and his Spiderman (Andres and Ana's Christmas gift to him) had to be outside with him.

Beach House in Guatemala - 11/28 to 12/2/08

After our trip to the parks, we left to go to Andres' family's beach house on the Atlantic Ocean in Guatemala. It was on Friday, November 28th that we actually celebrated Thanksgiving here at the beach. Mom, Margarita and Teffi brought the Turkey and the fixings from Guatemala City that afternoon and Madrina and Padrino joined us too. It was a fun celebration.

The girls also enjoyed playing on the "black" beach sand and getting into the ocean, although they are not used to the rough waves. Derek decided that the beach and the sand were enough for him and did not get close to the water. A big hit with the kids was also Andres' ATV. Derek kept calling it "mi moto".

This trip also reinforced the kids' Spanish and they realized that they need to put their best effort at home in learning it, because their cousins all speak two languages already and they don't want to be left behind.

Thank you to all who made our trip to Guatemala so wonderful and the memories that will last a lifetime. Ana and Andres, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

More Xetulul/Xocomil

This is our visit to Xetulul/Xocomil parks in Reu with the Quesada Family. Colette and Chanti loved having cousins to
play with, Andrea and Cristi.

Xetulul and Xocomil en Retalhuleu/Guatemala

We left on Wednesday of our second week in Guatemala to the Retalhuleu Region where we visited the Government sponsored parks, Xetulul and Xocomil. We all drove together in Andres and Ana's van and it was amazing how we all fit in one car plus food and luggage. What a treat this was and an unexpected oasis in the middle of the country. Xetulul was amazing. We had 90 degree weather and because it was a weekday, we had the park almost all to ourselves. Andres kept insisting he had arranged for a private visit! We visited Tikal, with the main temple/pyramid and saw a jaguar. Derek loved the boat ride and the carousel and the girls loved the splash ride and the gusanito. My compadre and Doug made me ride the most horrifying rollercoaster of my life, something I will never forgive them for. On top of it all, they made me sit all the way at the front, and when the straps came down on my shoulders, I just shut my eyes and prayed it would be over soon. I soon passed the message to my kids that No, really means "NO".

Anyway, aside from that it was wonderful. The following day we went to the waterpark and were amazed that Chanti came out of her shell and became "Awesome Girl", because everything she tried was awesome to her. She had the time of ther life! Derek was able to go on most rides and hung on to dear life from me, but he actually did enjoy it. All the little ones had vests on, so it was pretty safe.

Choacorral

All four generations of women in our family: Oma, Abue, Christa and Colette and Chanti on the mountains of Guatemala (Colette is Mia, running around). I hope the endurance and the passion for life my Oma has will somehow be passed on to us and our girls so that they know they come from a line of women who never quit and who have always strived to help others and never forgotten the love that unites us all. We miss you Oma.

La extranamos mucho, Oma. Como quisiera que mis hijas pudieran verla mas seguido para poderles trasmitir toda su sabiduria y ejemplo. Extrano poder hablarle y contarle de mi vida y poderle pedir consejos. Esta lejania fue por circunstancias de la vida, pero no deja de ser duro. La queremos mucho, siempre, Christa, Colette, Chanti y Derek

Choacorral

These are the pictures of us walking, jumping and visiting sheep.

Visit to Fernando and Grace's house

We spent the day at Fer and Grace's house in Choacorral and visited the sheep corrals and walked around the property and even flew a Kite! Colette and Chanti loved spending time with Victor and running around, even bouncing on their trampoline. And they also spent time playing Wii with Diego and Christian; they felt very important and special having the attention of their big cousins/uncles. Grace and Fer made a wonderful meal for us and reunited the whole family. Victor, Daphne and Gina came, Opa and Oma, Margarita and Teffi and her boyfriend. It was truyly a great family gathering. And two hours after the meal Fernando went and got Atole and made tostadas and chuchitos. All of our favorite Guatemalan foods! I was in heaven. Thank you Diaz Family for the feast and the wonderful day!

Pinata Time!

At our visit to my grandparents home in Villa Nueva they had planned a Pinata for the kids. This was just like old times, like when we were kids and ran around, got dirty and sweaty, my Opa giving us candy and coke, and just having fun. This time, OUR kids (our kids and Ana and Andres' kids) got to experience this and it was very emotional for me.

Going to Guatemala, November 17 - December 3,2008

We arrived in Guatemala! My cousin Ana, her
husband Andres and their kids, Andrea, Cristi,
and Diego, as well as my grandparents Opa and
Oma, Margarita and Abue and Opa were all there
too. We stayed at my cousin Ana's house during
our vacation and their house has the most
beautiful view of 3 volcanoes! We were treated
like royalty and our kids marveled at how many
relatives they had living in the same place.