Happy Birthday Alayna!

Today 3 years ago, I became an aunt to this little girl,that I thought was the cutest little baby in the whole world!;) but as time goes on, and I look back at pictures of her as a baby, I just think she get's cuter every day!!! 

 Living so far away from this special little person can be really hard! Today is her 3rd birthday and I couldn't be there to give her a kiss,or a hug,but I was able to Skype with her and sing happy birthday! I was also able to send her a birthday card a couple weeks back, and she got it right on her birthday! And yes I am so happy that I get to be able to do that,but it doesn't take away that wishing of whispering "I love you" right in her ear,on her birthday! So I am going to do another post especially for her!(you don't have to read this if you get tired of my mushiness!ha!)

I do cherish the memories I've made with her the times I have been up for visits! 

some of those are,

 shopping together

You being crazy with Tia Susanna while I try to get a 'good' picture of you 2

Getting a pic of us out in the snow even if you were crying ;/

Again trying to get a decent pic with you but...

 Alayna, I love you so much and can't wait till next year and ,Lord willing, I will be able to be there to wish you a happy birthday and celebrate with you at your birthday party!!! But for now I am still celebrating with you from far, far away! and wanted to do a special post just for you,my birthday girl,since I know you've been so looking forward to your 'birthday party'!!!     Te Quiero Mi Ninita <3
~Tia Cecilia

Happenings around here!

So yes, i did already say that we are back! Back to this lovely weather, that dry season in El Salvador has!

We got back and the next morning we were pretty glad that we had brought bagels along down from the States,since we had NO eggs and NO beans for breakfast. (Reality hit pretty fast, that we have NO more chickens!) ;)

So, making beans, was priority on our list that morning! 

And for some odd reason this picture wants to stay sideways! 

But I think it's cool how you can see the flames,and the red beans in the clay pot and, well... just look for 

yourself! (sorry if you get a sore neck!)lol 

Oh and then also the day after we got back it was our little neighbor boy's birthday! So Nina Elsie invited us over to eat cake with them! Taking a group picture with these kids is always interesting!;0

The Cake was REALLY good!

Then,Saturday, of the same week we got back, there was chorus recording up at Cerro Verde, a mountain that right across from it is the Izalco Volcano! Some of the youth were a bit late :) so the rest of us that were there had fun being able to take pictures around there,and just standing in the sun to warm up since it was chilly!

It was beautiful!

It was not one bit foggy!

plus the blue sky and the sunshine was just gorgeous,and just made you want to take a lot of pictures!

*photo credits of this picture go to Susanna

Ahh! I just love bright colors!

Mayra and I

Some of the guys entertaining themselves and maybe some of the rest of us!:)

 Hno. Neto Setting up the recording equipment!

Standing around until they tell us what to do.

Pablito,the director,listening to make sure everything sounds good.:/

After a whole day of recording,we were all pretty tired of it but we still had to take pictures! yay! or not.;)

But we did get it done!

Here is the whole group,except one, who hadn't known that he needed to wear black and white.

We had so much fun since the beginning, chorus practice once a month. and the whole way till the end, giving programs at different churches and even in the woman's prison! A lot of fun memories with these people! 

Then one last picture of Susanna and I with a very special friend,Lissette! She was basically a part of the group, since her mother was in the chorus, she would come along! Love her!

 Have a good weekend you all!

U.S.A. Visit 2014!

Hello once again!

It seems like forever since I last posted,and I have been wanting to post of our trip to the States,we've been back 1 week and that week has been busy! but now that I have time,I better take advantage of it,right!? 

We flew up Jan.14,on a night flight,landed at 1:05 the morning of the 15th! Patrick's were there to pick us up and take us to there place where we would be staying. We got to their place at 6:00 AM!! and were exhausted!!!we slept till around 10:30,then headed over to Nelson's for breakfast! We were greeted by Alayna and Vanessa out on the porch,and then walked inside,where there was this little chunk of smiles just grinning and grinning in his Daddy's arms that the rest of my family was SO ready to meet!!

We like to think that he recognized us,our voices at least, from videoing through skype!He was just jumping up and down!

Grandma Pauline couldn't wait to hold him,but...

...soon had to give PapaLoncho his turn too

And then it was Tia Susanna's turn!

 Ahh! his cheeks were/are so squish-able  and kissable!

and as you can tell he loved it!

Alayna was also so happy to finally be able to show us her Christmas gift!!and was quickly preparing orange juice for PapaLoncho and Grandma Pauline!

They took on their role pretty quickly,reading books,and just enjoying being able to hold their grandchildren!

Next day we headed into Lancaster.

 Vanessa went with us,we stopped at Aunt Rachel's store and Kendrick and Alayna were having fun playing with each other! Oh the squeals these 2 would make!

Visiting with the Grandparents.

Grandma making her famous root-beer floats! and Alayna watching.

Susanna and I wanted to go to Dollar General just for old times sake,and when Alayna heard we were going "shopping" she needed to go too!

she was like "you goin' to dolla genal? Eena(that's what she calls herself) wanna go too." and how could we resist not taking her? 

We made a "shopping with the niece day" out of it! and we had fun and made memories!

At grandpa's trying to take some "good" pictures with the kids,well you can see how it went,

 

Okay,a bit better

ugh, not looking but still cute!;)

and a little bit of love from the older sister!aw!

<3

He makes me smile!

YaY!!! then on Friday my other sister and her husband came in from Indiana and we stayed at a cabin in Belleville!

ALL of us!!

That was the first time ever! and we had so much fun! just sitting around,laughing a LOT,being crazy,singing together,relaxing!!

 

Caleb and Sandra had brought gifts for all of us,mostly from Thailand!

Alayna getting some help from PapaLoncho.

and Tio Caleb

Patrick and Rhoda's gift.

Oh this is crazy Nelson,posing with his gift from Papa.:)lol

Of course you couldn't always just sit around because soon people were getting hungry so you had to cook, Patrick pitched in and helped his wife and sisters with breakfast by frying the bacon.

Many games were played

One day several of us went out to see if we could make a snowman,but the snow was too soft so we just ran around a bit out there and took pictures!

Alayna making a snow angel!

Caleb offered to take a Picture of us two,and Alayna wasn't impressed!;/

After spending a great time there together at the cabin Caleb's left on Tuesday. The rest of us headed back to Nelson's and Patrick's and then a couple days later our family had to say goodbye to them and traveled to Indiana to spend our Last weekend with Caleb's! 

They had piles and piles of snow!and of course it was cold, so we mostly just stayed inside.:)

But I went out to take some pics of the gorgeousness of the sun shinning on the white snow making it glisten.  

 We flew back home,here, the 4th, got home at night but still felt so good to get back!

Warm weather,a lot of sunshine,and not so many layers of clothes! 

Our trip was awesome, mostly spent with family. Now, we have to wait till who knows when to see each other again,but till then, we have so many wonderful memories together to look back on and I am grateful! 

I'll end with this quote that I read.

Family is not an important thing.

It. Is. EVERYTHING!!!

Michael J. Fox