Memories....

Since I havnt had time to get any new pics from the holiday weekend off my camera yet, I thought it would be fun to share some pics of Craig and I, that we have taken over the last lil bit. We always love to have fun together, so here ya go....

Thanksgiving Nite

Poly Festival

Fishermans Wharf

Camping

Posin..... lol... Camping @ McGrath

"Deb & Kip" LOL!
(Halloween)

What dorks... :)

Craig's Graduation Nite

My "Birfday" @ Yama

V I S T A

<---------FILIBERTOS!!! YUM!!!
&
PEPPER TREE FROSTY !!!

Two things we look SO forward to while visiting our fam down in Vista. We have to get food from our most FAVORITE Mexican joint and then desert at Pepper Tree! SO YUMMY! My stomach is growling as I write about it...LOL! Sunday nights when I was younger, Mom and I would often wait up til midnight as our lil tradition, and go order Fili's or Jack 'n the Box (for Grandma Ana) It was so much fun! :) Since we got so used to it whenever we are down in Vista, we ALWAYS make a time to hit our favorite two spots. :) Craig has LOVED that tradition, and has become accustomed to our lil visits to our favorite dives. He loves it! :)

Since Craig is out of town for work, and Mom has an appointment down with the INS office, I am heading with with her for a lil girls trip to both her appointment and then to visit with fam. And of course to say the least visit our favorite lil spots.

We will be back to celebrate Easter together as a family, which will be awesome, especially to attend church. I always love listening to the special messages and special spirit there is on days such as Easter. What a wonderful time of year.

I will share some Easter pictures soon I'm sure... :)

MY LIL BUG.....

GETTING READY FOR THE EASTER BUNNY....

My lil niece is seriously the most ADORABLE thing ever! Okay...so Im a lil bi est of the lil ones in my family..LOL!! :)

I wast talking to my sis this morning and we were laughing at how much the bunny and background on these Easter Bunny pictures are so similiar to when we were lil ones... !!

What a miracle and blessing to now get to watch my lil sister have a lil baby to take to get these pictures done, memories continue to be created and remembered.

Of course the Easter Bunny, and eggs, easter egg hunts, candy, baskets, etc., are all so much fun.

Then I step back and think of the true meaning of this special time of year. I found this really cool poem that describes this time of year perfectly.

Easter Time

I love the world at Easter time because everything is new.There are blossoms on our fruit trees and in our garden too.
And where the grass was dead and brown,It’s starting to look green.The world just seems to come alive whenever it is spring.
It makes me think of Jesus and that great, first Easter Day,Of how He came to live on earth to teach us to obey.
He died for us upon the cross and suffered for our sins.Then, like the trees and flowers in spring,He came to life again.
And now when it is springtime,I’m filled with Jesus’ love.I know He rose again so I Could live with Him above.

--Lesilie A. Nebeker (Friend '96)

Camping @ McGrath

Being that we had a few extra days off w/ it being Presidents Day weekend, we decided to take a few days and go camping. It just so happened that Uncle David & Jared had arrived in from Australia a few days before our camping trip. Uncle had to head to a business meeting, so we took Jared with us. We had so much fun... here are some pics....

T-Bear--she loved the walking stick she found out on the beach....

CHEESE...LOL!

Truth or Dare w/ T. She picked DARE...LOL!

Just cooking some dinner .......

T, Craig, Jared & I passing around the VBALL...

Jared ("VIRR"-inside joke...LOL) & Craig being dorks roasting some marshmellows...

Mom makin sure our campsite was tidy...

Long.....over......DUE........

Each day continues to fly on by faster and faster......

My last entry was back before Christmas and now...... we are close to the end of February.... CRAZINESS!!

Well the last month and a half, have been hectic and a lil crazy....

Just after the first of the year.... Craig was driving to pick up some files for a work project, as he was driving thru an intersection, some IDIOT decided to run a red light and hit Craig, what made it the worst was that the person didnt even stop, so it was considered a HIT & RUN... so of course we only had liabilty insurance on it, so the worth of the car was less then it would be to repair it. Then about two and half weeks later, my husband was driving my beautiful car... and was heading northbound on the 101 and traffic slowly came to a stop, due to debris in the middle of the freeway, so as everyone slowed down and then stopped, a 86 year old woman driving a big boat, came up behind Craig and to make a long story short, she couldnt stop fast enough and hit and TOTALED my car!!! Now we are working with insurance companies, and all that fun stuff.....So to say the least things have been crazy busy. Then I decided after four years that due to the cut back in hours and thru prayer Craig and I just felt it was best for me to leave my position with the company I have been with for a long time now.

In the long run, all this chaos that has taken place ...though its been a real stressful month and half, has all worked out for the best.

We ended up being able to sell Craig's car privatly.... and my car has been reported as a total loss, thru my insurance company,and so just waiting on a settlement amount, then .... its worked out finacially that I will be able to not work for a while and for us to be able to still make our family trip to Tonga & New Zealand in April, so everything has worked out slowly.

Though we have had a lot adversity the last month, its also been full of faith in our Savior and he continues to bless us... so we are truly feeling very blessed and thankful.

We got to go camping this past long Presidents Day weekend, so I will post some pics up soon......

THE TRUE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

What a wonderful time of year. Its my most favorite time of the year. What a wonderful season that starts off with Thanksgiving, a time for us to be mindful of all that we have been blessed with, and then next to celebrate the birth of of our Savior. To be with family and show our love for one another. I know that I am mindful of my Savior and his birth, I also know that I need to be better at focusing more on him at this special time of the year. What can I give the Lord? On the day we celebrate his birth, as he has given so much to me. I have the wonderful blessing of the true and everlasting gospel in my life. I have the opportunity because of him to grow and overcome all obstacles or short comings I face in my life daily. I have a wonderful loving family, whom I love and cherish so much. That I am so blessed to be with eternally as I follow my Father in Heaven. Wow...Im truly blessed. Thru the next week as I continue to prepare and getting ready for Christmas, I am going to really focus on what gift I can wrap up for my Savior, and put underneath our Christmas Tree. The next lil poem is something I came across as well as a verse in the bible that really stood out to me. Hope they touch anyone who reads, as they touched my heart.

I wonder, what does Christmas mean, With its stars and shiny balls? Is Christmas more than Christmas trees And toys and games and dolls? Of this I’m sure: There’s something more, For I’ve heard many say That in a strange and far-off land, A child was born this day. And Christmas is to celebrate His coming from above. He showed us how we all should live And told us we should love.

Matthew 1:24-- aBehold, a bvirgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his cname dEmmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!!!

END OF OCTOBER ALREADY!?!

CAN YOU BELIEVE WE ARE ALREADY about to celebrate Halloween! Man the months just seem to just be going by faster and faster! Its craziness. Before we know it will be Thanksgiving and than Christmas, and then celebrating the beginning of a New Year. CRAZY! I love the holidays though, I love being family and having a good time.

Got quit a bit coming up in the next week or so. Both Craig & Mom graduate with their BA's early November! Which I am so excited and happy for them both! Its so exciting. They both will be moving on to their Masters Program pretty much right away! So proud of YOU BOTH! :)

I will post some pics up soon of the Harvest Festival and Halloween! :)