Merry day after Christmas!

Beautiful sunset sky on the day after Christmas...  It was refreshing, even despite EVERYTHING that has been going on with some of the people I love....  I hope everyone got to enjoy the beautiful afternoon sky....  :)

Christmas 2011

...NOTHING says Christmas like my mom's ham!!  :)  YUMMMMMM!!

I think this is one of my favorite parts of Christmas dinner...  ;)

Christmas Eve was a little weird around here this year...  I worked, drove my friend home from work, and delivered Christmas dinner to her and her family!  Thanks mom for helping me, make that happen.  Then I came home to find out that my brother had already come and gone, guess I missed him this year...  and I'm not gonna lie, that made me really sad!  Oh and the Chavi' were missing this year, which also made me sad....  I kept waiting for a surprise....  But it was Chrismas Eve and we were having "family" from Guatemala coming over for dinner so I changed and waited for them to arrive.... 

I set the table and eventually we were ready to eat...  Only to find out that Gaby and Mike were on their way home, but they probably wouldn't be staying...  His Grandpa had been taken to the hospital...  YIKES!!  They ended up coming for a few minutes, only to turn around and go back to San Pedro...  We said a prayer for Grandpa Rino's health and preceded to eat....  How could we not...  the food looked GREAT!!  :)

....And my parents and I hung out with Arturo and Ceci, while we waited for midnight, and Baby Jesus' birth!

Arturo, Ceci and my mom!

My parents with Ceci and Arturo...  Sadly this is as close to a "family" picture as my mom got this year...  I guess I was busy taking pictures, I must of forgotten to take one of myself...  Oh well at least I know I was there!!!  guess that's what happens when one is the photographer!  ;)  hahaha!!!  Seeeee, I said, weird Christmas Eve!  :)

...the newlyweds!

....and santa was REALLY good to me this year!  Anyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE to read...  I've gone back and forth on a "reader."  My sister told me last year that she had thought about getting me a Nook for Christmas, I wasn't sure how I would like it, I really thought I was "old school," and I LOVED the feel of a real book, BUT I decided this year that I may actually like an electronic reader, a place that would "house" all of my books....  ;)  so that is what she got me this year..  and so far I LOVE it!!!  Thank you sister!!  :)  And look at the fun cover my mom found for me!  It's perfect!  :)

....and I can't forget about my new sewing machine....  I can't wait to use it, and create something fun with it!  :)

A refreshing sunrise....

It's been a BUSYLY fun-filled weekend.  There was quality time spent with the kids, work, tamale making, and cookie making and not much sleep getting...  ;)  After two VERY LATE nights I woke up super early today, I escaped early, I wanted to go see the sunrise, it's refreshing to me, I wanted to just watch it come up while sitting out there and thinking about how LUCKY I am while being thankful for EVERYTHING that God gives me everyday. There isn't one day that goes by that I don't remember that I am where I am because of God's grace.  He blessed me with wonderful parents and siblings, great family, amazing friends, and wonderful lessons he teaches me everyday... 
Isn't this a wonderful "painting?"  ;)

Once again on Friday I was taught that life isn't always fair, and that it isn't "the cards that we hold that matter, but how we play the game..."  I think that's why I needed the moment this morning, to remember that even though life is unfair sometimes, everyone makes it...  people are placed in our lives to help...  ;)  and with that I went home, jumped back in my pajama's, hopped back into my nice warm bed, turned on a Christmas movie, and preceded to "sleep in" until 9ish...  and no one was the wiser...  well until now!!  ;)  seriously though, how lucky am I to have been able to jump back into a nice warm bed?  it was chilly out today! 

It's cookie making time....

It had been a busy weekend, as all holiday weekends usually go...  BUT I had told my mom that we could bake today...  I was craving the fun that holiday cookie baking brings with it...  So off we went, we have our traditional holiday cookies that we bake, and I decided to try and make some others as well...  :) 

We started off by making the dough for two of our family's favorites...  Mandarin Orange cookies and Kidfords! 

While my mom was "zesting" the mandarin oranges, I went to work on some red velvet snow cutie things that I had found online! 

They turned out just as good as i thought!  :)  Phew...  nothing like trying out new recipes for the holidays!  ;)

I also decided to make chocolate one's, and those were actually pretty good too...  chocolatey!!!  :)

...time to get back to those family favorite one's!  ;)

.....mmmmmmm!I took a cookie break to check out the beautiful afternoon sky!

.....our final products...  We couldn't wait to get our hands into these guys!!  :D

Kidfords.... 

...and yummy mandarin orange one's...  MY FAVORITE!  :)

Here's to spending another fun sunday baking with my mom...  Oh how I LOVE these days!!  :)  Thanks mom, I know it was a REALLY LONG day, but I hope it was a fun one!

Tamales, tamales, tamales....

My friend's family has a tamale making party every year!  I got to join them this  year and let me tell you it was a GREAT time!  :)
Getting started!

It's not authentic tamale making if there is no beer around!  ;)

...Our set-up....  :)

 Jessica.... The official "spreader,"  showing me the "ropes"  haha!  at least she thought she was showing me the ropes!  ;)

My hands were in the masa, for the majority of the time so there aren't really that many pictures of the "process", But here is one from the "toast" we made to our cooking tamale's...  ;)

....and another...  I had forgotten how many rounds of shots Dave brought around! 

....and our first official tamale...  As the newest member of the tamale making team, I got to have the first bite!  and let me tell you, it was yummy!!  :)

.....DOESN'T IT LOOK SO GOOD???  mmmmmm......

I LOVED hanging out with Priscilla and the family...  We had so much fun!  I seriously LOVE them!!  :)

Me and Miss Amanda!

 How cute are we?  I LOVE my sister from another mother friend!  :)

 ....Amanda and Baby Priscilla...  I LOVE this picture!  :)  They're so cute!! :)

 Me, Jessica and Alex!  :)

Me and Jess...  My other sister she said!!  haha!  ;)  and the only blond one in the mix! 

 ...and Frannie 

Big Priscilla and Baby Priscilla!  :)

...We also got to celebrate Miss Amanda's Birthday!!  :)

....a fun cousin picture!  Looks like Issac is ready to stick his finger into that cake!  ;)

 ....cousins

 ...By the looks of things, it was a successful birthday party/tamale making celebration!  ;)

 ..... the leftover masa, and spreaders... 

Me and Pam! 

 thanks for a fun time Macksouds, Chavarria's and Ortega's... I can't wait until next year!! :)

A fun Friday night with the kids.....

....I got to spend some quality time with the kiddos tonight....  while the parents went on a date night...  ;)  Jessica was kind enough to order us in some pizza...  and she got us SOOOOO much food that when Owen and I answered the door the pizza man inquired, very honestly and with much concern I may add....  :/  "is there more than just the 2 of you in there tonight?"  ummmm...  I told him "No, it's just us tonight,"  he replied...  "oh ok, you guys must be hungry then..."  haha!!  I preceded to tell him that, "the little guy ate A LOT."  and with that he was on his way, and we went back in to make sure the rest of our friends hadn't gotten themselves into trouble while we were outside!

Yummy Pizza!

after pizza, pasta, cheese sticks and whatever else we could get our hands on...  we started baking, and "creating..."  Isn't her rudolph so cute?  ;)

....and these two couldn't stop being silly!  haha!

...she was soooo proud, so we took another pic!  :)

..in the meantime, there was some sort of serious chocolate and m&m creativity going on here...   LOOK at that concentration! 

mmmmmmm....  these taste yummy!

...haha!  I'm pretty sure he enjoyed these chocolate covered marshmallows the most!  ;)

....and the first one out...  she literaly fell asleep minutes before the parents got home...  I guess drawing, baking and decorating took it out of her!!  ;)

....and my delicious reward!  The parents came back with this yummy treat for me!  and let me tell you that it was just as tasty as it looks here!  :)

Thanks guys!  I hope you had fun on your double date...  we certainly enjoyed ourselves!  :)