Early Christmas

We have the chance to spend Christmas with Toms Family in Maine at Christmas time so we get to have an early Christmas with my family here in Delaware.

The girls have had their Christmas lists up on the refrigerator with only a few items to get.

Mom was kinda shocked that the list wasn't longer.

I then started to think about it.

We have taught the girls that Christmas isn't about the gifts it's about the Jesus and the gifts he has given us. It's times like this that make us really proud of our girls for not realizing that they are doing the right thing because they have been taught the right.

None the less it's still fun to open gifts.

Nicole asked for a new outfit. She couldn't wait to try it on.

Ceci wanted a Nerf Gun. She is her fathers daughter!
i think she is up to 6 different Nerf Guns.

Happy Holidays To All!

"The Calm During the Snow Storm"

We're so lucky!

LET IT SNOW!!!!

WHAT FUN!


Our own winter wonderland.

When we first bought our home and we had our first snow fall the girls called our neighborhood Narnia. So yes we at this time have our own magical Narnia that we are able to enjoy.

We had SNOW once again and it was fantastic!'

We had so much fun as a family. The girls enjoyed the snow and now have off from school until the new year because of it.

Tom and I had to shovel every 2 hours to keep up with the snow accumulation.

At one point Tom and I just looked at each other and realized how nice it was to be working together, enjoying the snow and watching the girls play out in the snow.

The snow has brought a sense of relaxation, and peace to our home.

How thankful we are for this early Christmas Gift.

Nicole and Ceci's Home Swim Meet

The Girls had another Home Swim Meet at our YMCA Branch.
The Girls did really well considering that they had only had 3 practices since before thanksgiving. Tom and I are amazed at how well they are both doing.

Great job Girls!

Nicole Swimming Back. She got second in this event and took off 10 seconds.

One Happy Girl!

Ceci Swimming Free. She got 1st in this event.

She thought she was swimming against little kids but she forgets how much taller she is than kids her age.

Here's the aha moment.

Great job Ceci!

Claymont Oasis Night

I am fortunate enough to be able to volunteer in both of my girls PTA's.

At Nicole's school I am the current PTA President. My good friend Kyle planned this fun evening at Oasis Family Fun center as a fall fundraiser. Good times with good people.

Nicole with her Vice Principle Mrs. Jarmin

Ceci having fun at air hockey. tom was at the other end. They were having a blast!

Our Special Day

December 5, 2009 will always hold a very special day in my heart.

Yesterday we were Sealed as a family for time and all eternity.

The spirit and joy we felt yesterday was immeasurable.

We had my mom and some of our close friends with us to share this day with us.

Both Nicole and Ceci were so very excited. How lucky they are, to be able to visit the house of the Lord at their age. For them to look forward to the day they will return with their husbands to be married and Sealed in the Temple.

Ceci's First Swim Meet of the Season

Ceci did an awesome job at her swim meet. Her first event was Free Style and she got 2nd place with a better time than last year. Her second event was Back Stroke and she got 1st place with a better time than last year. Her last event was a Free relay which her group place 3rd. Ceci was the anchor and pulled her group from last (out of 5) to 3rd.

Great Job Ceci!

Pupkin Picking

We went Pumpkin Picking with Elizabeth, Maddie, and Carter to Ramsey's Farm. The weather here has been horrible that we had to squeeze it in on a good afternoon with out our husbands. The day started out really nice then ended really windy, but we got our PUMPKINS!

Nicole found her pumpkin really quick, she know what she wanted and she got it!

Ceci on the other hand to a bit longer, but when she found it and boy was she happy!

The Vincents found one too.

Time for the Hay Ride.

Well it was a sit on a hay bale ride. It's just not a Hay ride with out throwing some hay around.

What was nice was that we got to have our hayride with a Mom's Group so we got the Farm tour not just a hay ride, so the kids enjoyed learning about what they grow on the farm.

Well since there wasn't any loose Hay on the Hay Ride we improvised! There was a pile of scattered Hay by the pumpkin patch. Fun, Fun, Fun.

Tom's thing is the Pumpkin Carving part. I don't particularly enjoy the mess. Fortunately for me my loving husband has always enjoyed it so YAY for me and YAY for my girls.

Ceci is soooo funny. Her facial expressions were hilarious.

She loves getting messy and just digging into things. Nicole is usually the neater one who sorts the contents that are coming out of the pumpkin.

They had a blast!

The final product. Ceci carved a cat and Nicole carved out a witch on a broom stick. I remember the days when Tom and I had to do the work for them. We would start out all working together and then eventually it ended up as Tom and My project. I miss those days. They feel like as if they were yesterday, but the sense of pride that they now have because they did it all on their own is so wonderful.

New Moon Countdown Official Poster

So I just watched the New Moon Trailer and am so excited to watch it. Elizabeth brought a bunch of tickets for the midnight premere. EXCITING!!!!!

Rock Band Night

We had a fun night Rocking out to Rock Band with the Smith, Vincent and Maxwell Families.

We try to have a Rock Band Night once a month, which always turns out to be a really loud but fun night.

The Kids table. Nicole and Daniel look forward to the day they get to sit at the Grown ups table.

Elizabeth and Toni

Rockin Out.
I think that the adults had more fun than the kids!
Ceci and Lauren played down stairs the entire time.
Evryone had a blast, thanks guys for a fun night!

Uncle Billy

Billy came down for a visit for the weekend. He went crabbing with Tom and then we headed over to the park before he left back to Long Island, NY.

We love getting to see him.

Nicole and Ceci's First Day of School

Nicole and Ceci were so excited for their first day of school that they were ready by 6:30 in the morning. Ceci actually walked out the door at 7:30 and was ready to go. We didn't have to leave until 8 and that's still leaving 5 minutes early. Nicole is now in 5th grade and Ceci is in 3rd grade. It amazes me how grown they are. We are so very proud of them. They are very good girls and good examples to those around them. I look forward to a fun year for both of them.

Orlando"s 2nd Birthday

Happy Birthday Bubbies.

Iara made his birthday cake and man was it yummy. Nothing better than home made birthday cake.

Nadias Princess Birthday Party

Ceci was a Princess of course. The birthday party was fun. We all went to Tia Chochi's in Philly for the party.

Nicole was Alice in the Wonderland. It amazes me that she's almost 10 and still likes to be of the fun child like activities. If only she could stay this way until college, but reality is she won't so I am just enjoying it as much as she is. I look forward to all the new experiences she will have as she gets older.

We are very lucky to have so many cousin live to close to us. We get to see them all a few times a year all together. Happy Birthday Nadia.

Lazy Days of Summer

The girls had a fun last weekend of summer before school started at the pool.

At the Hanby Outdoor Center (YMCA Pool) they have 2 goats Cookie and Cream.
Nicole, Ceci and their friends Meghan and Ryan Stoklosa fed the goats yummy leaves.

4 Generations

This picture was taken the day before Great Grandma Ada left to go back to Honduras.

Nicole and Ceci just love spending time with abulita. The girls are so lucky to have their Great Grandmother still alive and to hear all of her wonderful stories. Grandma is always saying how much the girls remind her of herself when she was little always with a book in her hand. Nicole if she could would have a book with her at the dinner table. I am so thankful to have my grandmother 6 months of the year here in the states. We look forward to her coming back in the Spring.

Fun day at the Wilmington Blue Rocks Game

Tom and Nicole are both are wearing Phillies World Series shirts. Can you tell who enjoys baseball and then who doesn't really care?

So Ceci and I don't really care for sports. Give us a really good game and maybe we'll get out of our seats, but otherwise just pass the funnel cake and drinks.

So Elizabeth and I talked the entire time. The game was over and we had no clue. Kinda Funny!

Wow can we talk.

Ceci is doing I don't know what. It was kinda warm yet she insisted on wearing her NEW coat.

The Girls!

After the game there were fire works. Carter didn't really like them. Too loud.

The Wilmington First Crowd!

Looking forward to next years game.

One of Our Most Special Days

Many of you know that my wonderful husband is a convert to the church. Thanks to all of our friends and family that have been great examples and friends to Tom he joined the church 3 years ago. I am very proud to say that he has been my great strength and has made me a better person and that together we have made great strides to have an Eternal Family.

On August 8, 2009 we went to the Washington DC temple to receive our Endowments. What a beautiful day it was. My mom was able to be part of this very special day as well as our Very Dear friends Grant and Elizabeth Vincent.