The Most Wonderful time of Year

Everyone knows that Christmas is my most favorite time of year. Today we started preparing for Christmas. We went and participated in black Friday. We got Liliana a Little Tikes Kitchen at Toys r us and waited an hour to get to the front of the line. We also got a digital photo frame, clothes and toys for my goddaughters. After we came home and relaxed for a few minutes and then went and took our family photo's and lilian's 18 month old pictures. Then we came home had dinner with my parents and brother and then decorated the Christmas tree. Here are a few pictures:
Liliana playing with the Lights

Padrinho teaching Liliana to sweep

Our Little Family

Marco working Hard

Liliana Helping Daddy

Thanksgiving Day with my side of the family

Yesterday we had Thanksgiving dinner with my parents, brother, and my godparents. We all had a great time sitting around eating and chatting. We have so much to be thankful for. I truly enjoyed cooking my 1st thanksgiving dinner for my family. I have cooked thanksgiving dinner before but I have never cooked it for my family. Liliana hadn't taken a nap today, so by dinner time she was pretty cranky and didn't enjoy much of her dinner.We served turkey, sweet and sour meatballs, mashed potatoes,Candied Sweet potatoes,cranberry sauce, sausages stuffing, and sauteed green beans. For dessert we had Apple pie, pumpkin pie, fruit salad, sea foam Jello salad, and cheesecake. All of it was made from scratch, how I love to cook :)Everything was delicious, but I think we will have leftovers for about a week or more. After dinner Liliana managed to fit in a cat nap and when she woke up we all watched the Incredibles. This weekend we will be going to my brother in laws and having thanksgiving with Marco's side of the family.
Liliana sitting with Avo before dinner

At the dinner table

The other half of the table

This is what the guys did while the women were cleaning.

This is Liliana and mommy watching the incredibles. Liliana had just had a bath :)

Happy Thanksgiving

I saw this on a blog as I was searching for something this afternoon and I just had to steal the idea. The person posted one thing they are thankful for each day up until Thanksgiving. So since I am 10 days behind I am going to post 10 things I am thankful for. I will update this post for the remainder of the month, up until thanksgiving, so if you are interested, please continue to check it out!!
Day 1:
I am thankful for my husband because I know that even when we get into tight spots we will also be able to work it out. He is thoughtful, caring, and hardworking and I appreciate all he has done for our family. I am thankful that he is always looking for more ways to spend more time with our family. I am also thankful that he enjoys the traditions and costumes of our religion and culture as much as I do.

Day 2:
I am thankful for my daughter Liliana. I am thankful that the Lord blessed us with a beautiful daughter. I am thankful that she knows how to continually make me smile and appreciate the little things in life. I am grateful that she enjoys to cuddle and is a good eater. I am thankful that she enjoys to dance, play and learn. I love her dearly.

Day 3:
I am thankful for my family. From my parents to my brother, aunts, uncles, and cousins, brother in laws, father in law and nephews. These people all have special places in my heart. I know that we do not get together as often as we should but when we do we make sure to make wonderful memories that feel our hearts and homes forever.

Day 4: I am thankful for my friends. To my friends here at home thanks for always making time for me. Whether its a spare of the moment trip, or a phone conversation we share, or a trip with the girls I am thankful for all the memories made. I know that I can pick up the phone and count on you. To my friends in Idaho, thank you for making me a part of your families. To my June mommy friends, thanks for being the ears that listened and gave advice, when I needed it.

Day 5:
I am thankful for my job. I love going to work and spending time with a great group of kids. I am also thankful for such great staff, we all get along great and have the same goal in mind, and for that I am thankful.

Day 6:I am thankful for the web. I am able to stay connected to so many family and friends. I am glad that I can share some of the memories we have made with them.

Day 7: I am thankful for my Goddaughters, Ashley and Chelsea. They are two beautiful girls with hearts made of gold. You 2 are truly gifts from God!!

Day 8: I am thankful for the ability to go back to school and pursue something I truly enjoy; special education.

Day 9: I am thankful that God has blessed us with a beautiful home made just right for our family, it has 3 bedrooms 2 bath and a formal and informal living rooms. I am so excited that we will be living in it soon!

Day 10: I am thankful for Early Release Monday's. The kids are released out of school at 1:30 and normally I am home by 2. I am thankful for the extra 1.5 that I get to spend with my daughter.

Day 11:I am thankful for the veteran's and soldiers who have helped fight for our countries freedom.

Day 12: I am thankful for cell phones, you can connect with family at times that are convenient for you. Such as driving to school today.

Day 13: I am thankful for the price of gas. Here in Tracy the cheapest I have seen is 2.09, but as I was driving home from class I saw gas foe 1.99 a gallon. Let's hope it stays low for a while.

Day 14: I am thankful for the opportunity to spend time with family. My parents and brother all came over for dinner last night and we had a good time just talking and laughing. I was amazed my brother was over for like an hour.

Day 15: I am thankful for Saturday mornings. I am able to get a lot done before Liliana and Marco get up, today's goal is to finish writing a paper.

Day 16: I am thankful for Sunday's time to spend with God, Family, and relax before work on Monday.

Day 17: I am thankful that our house now has baseboards and we are one step closer to getting all situated.

Day 18: I am thankful that we are able to start putting furniture in its place today.

Day 19: I am thankful that I have completed one paper and that today is the last day of class for one of my classes. I am also thankful that the teacher decided to give us a take home final instead of making us go in on Saturday to take the final!

Day 20: I am thankful that I was able to get a lot of work done on my final paper. So excited!

Day 21: I am thankful that today is the last workday for a week. I am thankful that my parents came to help me organize the house, its starting to look like a home.

Day 22: I am thankful that I finished my paper. I am thankful that Marco was home today to help me watch Liliana as I had a migraine and needed to rest.

Day 23:I am thankful for family time. We had lunch with my parents and then got to run errands as a family!

Day 24: I am thankful for my first day of vacation. I am also thankful for the little things that kids do like play copy cat :)

Day 25: I am thankful that I am able to go shopping for outfits for us to wear for pictures. I am also thankful that I am able to clean my house before Thanksgiving!I am thankful that I took two classes this past month an that I recieved an A in both of them, wasn't easy but totally worth it :)

Day 26: I am thankful that Marco got off work early and that I was able to cook 2 pumpkin pies, an apple pie, my cranberry sauce. I am also thankful that I was able to make a gelatin salad, and 7 layer bean dip. I am thankful that Marco and I got to watch a movie on the sofa together and that Liliana feel asleep in my arms.

Day 27: I am thankful that I am able to tidy up before the guests arrive. I am thankful for my parents, family, husband and child. I am thankful that even though times are tough we are able to make it through everything together. I am truly thankful for all the hidden blessings in my life.

Second and 3rd Day of Mommy's Vacation

On the second day of my vacation we just hung out. On the third day Liliana and I played with paint, made play-doh and cooked pies and other sweets. Here are a few pictures:
Liliana helping mommy make pumpkin pie

Making a fall tree

Playing with Play-Doh

Painting all by herself

Her Apple Pressings

Painting the Apple

Mommy's First Day of Vacation

Today was my first day of Thanksgiving Vacation! I am excited to be able to spend more time with Liliana and prepare to have family over for Thanksgiving. Today Liliana and I had a great time. We played tag and made brownies. Then avo and Ava came over to help us get the backyard ready. Here are a few pictures
Mixing, with a smile

Trying to eat the mix

Yum!

Helping Avo

Hmm

Cleaning

From House to home

So I thought I would share these videos the first one is on the day we got the keys. The second is as of today, there are still a few more things to do but I love our new place :)

Thanksgiving Craft

Today Liliana and I did our first thanksgiving craft. We painted her hands and transferedt he paint to a piece of paper (these became the turkey's feathers). I got the body from DLTK.com.We did not finish, but I will be sure to post pictures of the final product! It came out supper cute!! Sophie and Paula joined in on the fun!! Here are the pictures!
Paula painting Sophie's hand:

Paula transfering her hand to paper

Painting Lilian's hand

Transfering her hand:

Finished product. well almost:

The girls coloring afterwards:

Bass Pro Shop

We went and ran errands today and decide to check out a the new Bass Pro Shop. It was a very big shop, but I personally like Cabala's better. Here are a few pictures from our adventure:
Daddy with Liliana under the waterfall

Daddy making his Christmas wish list


They even had a Santa's wonderland area, so we took advantage of the free photo. Liliana didn't like him to much lol!!


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Birthday Party

Today we went to Sophie's second birthday party. Liliana ha a great time playing with all the kids. Sophie and Liliana get along well,most of the time. I am very blessed to have a good friend to share silly parenting moments with as well as that Liliana has a good friend to play with!
Playing with Sophie's Lawn mower
Playing with Sophie

Playing with Sophie's ride on toy

I'm going to fall

At the table eating pizza

Opening our present

Sophie had a lot of fun with the paper

Playing with Sophie's Kitchen

Good thing she is getting one for Christmas

One Night at our new Home

We were able to spend the night at our new house last night. It's not move in ready but we laid out our mattress on the floor and Liliana slept in her pack and play and we had a good time. Here is a picture of Liliana taking a bath in her new tub for the first time!

Celebrating Daddy's Birthday

On the 14th which was my dad's actual birthday I was able to cook a meal for him at our new house. We had tri-tip, steak, shrimp, oven roasted potatoes and corn. The after dinner Liliana gave Avo his present. We are so luck to be surrounded by family!
Here is Liliana with avo after he opened his present. We got him a new pair of shoes!

Celebrating Daddy's birthday

My dad turned 65 on the 14th of November. My brother took us all out to dinner at the Texas Roadhouse on the 13th so we could celebrate his birthday. The food was good and of course we all had a good time, even if liliana wouldn't stay still lol!! Here are a few pictures from dinner:
My brother holding Liliana on the saddle.

Me and Liliana at the table

My parents and brother

Going on 16

Liliana loves to get the keys to the car and try to open the door. The other day I sat her inside the car just for fun and this is what she did!!