So much to be grateful for...

As much as I love to blog, I still haven't figured out how to download the pictures in order so they are not in chronological order. Well actually they are from end to beginning so the bottom pics are from when we got there. This picture is from yesterday before I left. I have a childhood friend that I have known since the first grade and we were literally in every class together from 1-12. She came and saw my mother yesterday since she was discharged from the hospital and she wanted to meet my children. Her name is Jackie and she is such a sweetheart. I am glad we were able to meet up again.

I went to church on Sunday with my sister in New Jersey. It was so great to spend time with her and her family. She has a special family and they are so determined to do what is right. I am grateful for her example. Bianca and Sabrina are my nieces and they are so big. Its unbelievable! Bianca is in YW and I just never realized we would be talking about personal progress and Twilight and the Naked Brothers and all this teenage stuff. They just grow too fast!

My sister has two dogs, Sasha and Ginger, and Joey was in 7th heaven. He wasn't mean to the dogs but he insisted on carrying them everywhere and laying down with them and playing. It was so cute. It made me want to get him a dog but its not going to happen. I don't even want to potty train Joey, there is no way I am training a dog.

On Saturday morning after we saw my mom, I took Joey to the Central Park Zoo. OK, me with two kids, in a double stroller, in a busy city, with Subways without elevators, in 90 degree weather. It wears me out just reliving it! But Joey had tons of fun and that is all that matters. This really cool Panda Bear was really friendly and getting a kick out of the kids. It was at this window for like 10 minutes just chillin'! It was awesome! The kids went wild and it was like pulling teeth to get close but it was a cool sight to see.

Joey was my little tour guide. He realized that I kept looking at the map and said, "Joey do it." He than would point to an animal on the map and say, "This One!" And start running off! It was hilarious. He did do really good at stay close to me and I am learning to not be so paranoid. He runs off a little but he is learning to come back and make sure he is safe. Where was Emma? Sleeping like always!

OK, so here is the purpose of my trip to NYC. My mother had been suffering from a herniated disc in her neck for a month or so. She went to the ER in the beginning and they pretty much gave her pain control meds and said it should go down. Well once the meds wore off she was in the same shape if not worse. She started loosing feeling in her arm and it became swollen (right arm). So my brother told her not to take her meds and decided to take her to the ER again so that they could see the pain that she was in. They called for a Neuro consult and surgery was suggested. During her evaluation, the Surgeon said it was the biggest case he had seen in the last six months so he scheduled her surgery immediately so that it wouldn't get worse. In the process they realized she had Type II diabetes and high blood pressure. So she had to be admitted for a few days before surgery to get medically cleared. Her surgery was Friday and it went really well. She got a blessing from the Bishopric and has started to become a different person. I had asked many of you to keep her in your prayers and I appreciate it and I will tell you that your prayers were answered. When I saw her Saturday she asked me to sit down because she wanted to talk to me. She said that she wanted to go back to church, she wanted to work with the missionaries and help people know the gospel, she wanted to become temple worthy again, and has started to read the scriptures again. She asked me to help her and to encourage her and not give up on her. As she told me all of this, I had a feeling that it would be difficult for her but with diligence and support, she would do it. I also felt all of your prayers and the faith behind them. So even though her physical being wasn't a medical emergency or big scare, it helped her put her spiritual matters in perspective. So thank you so much. I am so grateful for all of your prayers, faith, and support. She is home now and is getting help at home to bounce back.

This is my big brother, Aristy, my Mom, and I. Aristy has been such a good helper! He has been there for her 24/7 and I am so grateful that he has the opportunity to do that.

My mom just LOVED Emma! She was amazed at how big she was and loved her big eyes and smile. I made an effort to spend as much time there as I could so she can be with the kids so I would go in the morning, leave in the mid day so that Joey could get a break, and go back in the afternoon. It turned out pretty good.

Joey was actually friendly with Grandma and gave her hugs and kisses. They are good buds!

Well I have more adventures to blog about but I have bigger adventures with laundry to go to! FUN! Thanks again!

Our Little Princess

This ward, Derwood, is so wonderful to me and my family. There are so many talented people in the ward. My awesome friend, Jessica Willis, had a little girl on Monday-VERY CUTE- and I had Emma on Tuesday. She played dress up with her little girl and was generous enough to offer to do the same with Emma so she can practice her Photography. Here are some of the pictures she took. I might be predjudiced, but I absolutely love them. I feel that she captured Emma exactly how she is- Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed! I love the details of her eyes, her fat rolls, and her serious expression. Girls are so much fun! Thanks, Jessica!

Cherry Blossoms

We only have a couple more months in the DC area so we wanted to make sure we got enough of the Capital Mall as possible. Yesterday was the Cherry Blossom Festival and Parade. We decided to attempt to go to the parade. There was sooo many people there. We got there right at 10 but it was impossible to see anything so we just walked the parade route and enjoyed the people and the music playing. It was really windy and it made me and the kids a little sick but it was a nice time to spend together with my family since Kevin is always working.

This is my childhood friend, Luz. We have been friends since Girls Camp. She lives in Alexandria, VA and was sweet enough to meet us at the Mall and spend a few hours with us. We walked to Chinatown and had a wonderful salad wrap.

This is her little boy, Canaan. Well not so little anymore since he is 8 months but he is so cute. He kept wanting to eat her wrap. I would too if I had to eat Butternut Squash.

This is my very poetic husband. Its very few the pictures that I have of him with an actual smile. He always has to have a silly face or pose. But here he seriously proud to be an American in front of the Capital.

Oh...Joey. We were so paranoid that he was going to fall down to the lake. Thank goodness he didn't. He kept calling it Crocodile Lake and saying, "Crocodile, Are you?"

The Cherry Blossoms are pretty much everywhere, even in our neighborhood, but there are clusters of them in between the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorial. They are so beautiful and smell so yummy.

Growing up in NYC was awesome because we took the Subway everywhere we went. I didn't even learn how to drive until I was 18. So I missed that living in the West Coast. But we love having the Metro close by to us. We take it to the zoo, the Mall, and Kevin takes it to work.

Joey LOVES trains. He loves Thomas and Friends and takes them everywhere he goes. So to take the Metro is a big treat for him because its like Thomas has come alive for him. If you notice he has his trains in his little hands.

It was a good day. We than came back and caught up on Conference and watched the afternoon session. I have been working with Joey and trying to get him to be reverent and we explained to him about Conference and that the Prophet and Apostles were going to speak to us. We told him he can play with his toys quietly but right now we were going to watch Conference. He did so good. We were so impressed. He played quietly for a little bit but later asked me for a blanket and cuddled with me on the couch. I felt such a warm feeling having him be so peaceful. There is more of conference to come but so far I appreciated Elder Hales talk. Many of you know how much I love to shop and a few years ago I would have been upset about a talk like that. Well maybe not upset...but I don't know. Anyhow...after many lessons learned, I appreciated his counsel and hope to learn how to live a more provident life. I also appreciated the talk by the Primary Counselor. It helped find many answers and hope to prayers about raising a reverent toddler. It helped me realize that it can't be done overnight and that maybe I am not the only one with an active toddler but its ok and there is hope and he is still special! I am so glad our Father in Heaven speaks to us in these latter days. TTFN

27

I cannot believe that I am 27 already! I still am not over the fact that I am older than the missionaries. I thought that was impossible. I guess they are still more mature than I am at least spiritually. I had a good birthday. It was really simple but still very nice. My mother came down from NYC on Friday night until Sunday morning. She brought down with her my favorite meat, a Pork Shoulder-fully seasoned (and frozen).

We cooked it on Sunday and had some good friends over for dinner. We had a tres leches cake which is my favorite and just let the kids play. Our husbands left us to go to a Stake Priesthood meeting. Kevin didn't want to leave me on my birthday but what better present than to have him continue to honor his priesthood. We attempted a family picture and well, the above picture is the result. That is why I won't pay for one yet because Joey won't cooperate. I still love him So many things to wish for.... I did get money for my birthday which I am saving to do some major shopping. I just need to loose 7 more lbs to be pre-preggos and than I will stimulate the economy.

My little girl! I cannot stop kissing her, loving her, hugging her... She is so sweet

On Saturday we went to a good friend's birthday party, Nathan, and we shot rockets. Joey didn't want his to fall apart so he refused to shoot it but he was fascinated by the experience. Kevin took this picture and I love it because I hope to always walk beside my son and never have him be too cool to be seen with me.

This is Joey's rocket. Once again, he refused to take a picture.
Anyhow, I did have a great birthday and I appreciate all the well wishes, presents, cards, calls, and friendships. Thank you so much!

St. Patty's Day

I don't know what it is about St. Patrick's Day that I love so much. Maybe its that I have some great Irish friends. Or maybe I just love to celebrate culture. Whatever it is, I love to make a big Irish meal and have fun this time of year. It means that Spring is near, which means summer is coming, which means brighter warmer days. I guess I just want to have something stable and some traditions established in our families since we have to move so much.

On actual St. Patrick's Day, I took Nathan, Enzo ( I watch these brothers for a few more months), Joey, and Emma to the Brookside Nature Center and we followed the trail that the Leprechaun's left behind in the green house, the boys loved to smell the "Yummy Flowers" and they were so happy to be out and running.

Joey was naughty and kept picking the flowers and throwing them in the pond. He did smell them before he threw them and inhaled deeply and romantically :) It was cute.

Since Kevin works until goodness knows when sometimes, we had our Irish dinner on Sunday. The missionaries came over and we had Corned Beef, Cabbage, Potatoes, Irish Soda Bread, and Apple Cake! Not to toot my own horn but, it was SOOO Good. Even the leftovers were really yummy.

Kevin doesn't like boiled meat, so I had to improvise and steam it in the oven and than cook the veggies on the stove top but with the same meat seasonings. It was tricky but Mom helped me figure it out. I wish we would have been together! He can never be serious when I take a picture of him! UGHH!

Kevin had to work last Saturday but there was a parade at a local shopping center so I decided to take the kids. Well this is what happened! They both slept. I was the only brown person there, so I stood on the side lines and watched and waited until Joey woke up. We than did some crafts by a pond but I forgot to take pictures. Just take my word for it. Anyhow, it was lots of fun. Its fun to have Joey big enough to kind of understand and want to participate. Its just keeping him interested that's the challenge. Boys will be boys!

Picture Tagged

I got picture tagged! Thanks Emeline! I cannot believe this picture. This is when Joey was about 7 months old. Jessica Peterson used to baby sit him and I would pick him up after a long day of working at Washington Mutual and just sit with him on the couch for hours just holding him and making him laugh, taking pictures, feeding him, and the list goes on. I miss those days when he let me hold him like that. Check out the double chin and arm pit rolls! Such a good blackmail picture when he is too cool to take out the trash or go to Mutual!

So I tag, Jessica Willis, Merry Rowe, Ana, Vivian Logsdon, Erica Dryden, and Luz

Go to your pictures, the sixth file, the sixth picture and blog about it. Tag someone else! XOXO

Emma Talking to Daddy

Every time we try to record her talking, Joey talks louder. Oh well, I am sure I will want her to stop talking when she's a teenager! You will have to pause the other music.