Happy Birthday Grandpa

This weekend we celebrated my Grandpa Fermin's 87th Birthday. All of the family was so excited because it had been years since we've all got together. It was a Birthday Party / Family Reunion hosted at my Uncle Larry's house in Merced. I was estatic to see all of my aunts, uncles, cousins and my cousins' spouses and kids that I hadn't seen in years. Some of the spouses and kids I had never even met! We all chat on facebook, but being face to face was supreme. The food was amazing (just like I remembered), but being together - just like old times - was priceless. My kids had the opportunity to experience the joy I felt when I was a kid when we'd all get together - almost every weekend! I also enjoyed seeing the joy in my dad's face as he was surrounded by all of his brothers and his sister, and his dad. Daddy even shed a few tears when Grandpa accredited all of the family that surrounded him to my Grandma. He said, "Mother, look what you did." Everyone got choked up at that statement. Yes, this Celebration was a celebration indeed. We celebrated my Grandpa's life, our family, and our love for one another. And you KNOW us Gonzales' sure do know how to have a good time! Our time together was memorable, cherished, and definitely unforgettable.

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

She's A Girlie Girl

Oh have we got ourselves a girlie girl. Today was the first time Miss Grace tried on a pair of high heels. I had just come home from a long day at work, kicked off my shoes, and headed to the kitchen to start making dinner. I cracked up laughing when Grace walked into the kitchen wearing my heels. Just as I pulled out my camera she began to pose for me! I showed her a few moves and then she wouldn't stop! What a cutie!

Where We Live

My heart is filled with gratitude on days like today. What a beautiful place God has allowed us to live in. The sun was shining and there was a nice warm breeze, so Larry and I decided to take the kids for a walk down to the trail in Pacific Grove. The weather was picture perfect. As we walked I was thanking the Lord for my family. Sometimes life can seem so overwhelming and sometimes just straight up out of control. It's days like these that make me stop and really think about what's important to me. Who's important to me.

I am blessed to be the mommy of three beautiful children. I love being the wife of a wonderful, caring man. I am completely surrounded by family and friends who love me and who do just about anything for me. I live in one of the most beautiful places in all the world. I am truly blessed.So I thank you, Lord, for bestowing these blessings upon my life. I am not worthy; definitely not deserving. But because You love me, because of Your unmerited favor, You give. So from the bottom of my heart I say "Thank You."

It's In God's Hands Now

It is amazing to me to think about how powerful our God is. All of us have goals that we would like to see accomplished. We just rang in the New Year. It's 2011 and most, if not all, of our New Years Resolutions have already been broken - or "the new rules" we set up for ourselves have already been bent. For some people their goal may be losing weight, becoming debt free, getting more organized, to stop smoking, becoming more responsible, to be more patient, to be a better listener, a better parent and the list could go on and on. If you're like me, you start out trying to do your very best—standing so strong—but all too soon you find yourself disappointed and just giving up all together. But! I've recently discovered that when we place our dreams, our plans, and our goals into the hands of God? The Master takes over and we become His Students, ready and willing to obey HIS command. Becoming His student means admitting we don't know what He knows and believing He is wiser and fully capable of helping us. God's desire is for us to delight ourselves in Him so He could give us the desires of our hearts. We will be astounded at what HE could accomplish in us - and through us.

I've been struggling in one area of my life for YEARS! I mean Yeee-ears. My goal seemed so insignificant when compared to the struggles and hardships others around me are facing. But, nevertheless, it was important to me, thus important to God. A few days ago, I finally made the decision to put this struggle in God's hands and let Him help me and stop trying to do it on my own. It's only been a few days but what God has done in just a few days I could have, in no way, accomplished in even a month! Not only am I achieving my goal, but it is not even a struggle. I am experiencing a little discomfort, but God is doing something unbelievable in me. I can't explain it, but I can say that I've put my faith in Him. I'm admitting that I can't do it without Him and shouting that I need Him. He's honoring that. Thank you, thank you, thank you Lord!

God's Even In the Little Stuff

Gracie LOVES her Elmo shoes! Our little girl is growing so fast that we try to hang on to every pair of shoes as long as we can. Her poor Dora shoes had to go bye-bye because I couldn't shove her feet in them one more day. I bought these Elmo shoes about a year ago. The inside says they are a size 5 but I'm thinkin' their a 6 because they still fit her well. Yes, they fit her precious, beautifully big feet :) Anyhow, last night Grace wore her Elmo shoes to church. Unfortunatley, she only came home with one shoe on. We thought, "oh, well...there goes another pair of shoes." So, this morning we get in car, we jump on the freeway, I get her to her daycare, I then proceed to Safeway (to order her birthday cake, YAY) and when I walk back to the car I look up and I see a little orange shoe on my back bumper. There sat Elmo!


The people who were passing by me in the Safeway parking lot must have thought I was a nut-case. I was laughing so hard I almost...well, you get the picture. I was so amazed that that shoe hung on to my bumper through the drive home from church last night, on the freeway on the way to work this morning (and I wasn't going the speed limit!) and into the parking lot. When I got into the car, God reminded that He has everything under control. That little shoe, that is loved so very much, stayed outside in the cold, all night on that bumper. It survived the speeding winds on the freeway, the bumps and turns we made on the road, it was all alone. Sometimes I feel like that Elmo shoe. I feel alone, in the dark and coldness of night. I know I'm loved and wanted, so I don't understand how I could be going through what I'm going through. But God reminded me that He has me in His hands. Always. What He wants accomplished, will be done. Even when it seems like there's no way we're gonna make it, God keeps His hand in our lives and helps us to make it through the trials, through the afflictions, through the storms. Now everytime I see that Elmo shoe I've got a reminder that God loves me and He cares about me and He's with me. He does care about the little things in our lives. Yep, I hanging on to those shoes. What a great and powerful God we serve!

2011

Welcome 2011...I'm so glad you're here!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Our New Hobby

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Elf Yourself 2010

Our Little Mashed Potato Head

While we were putting up the Christmas tree in the family room we thought it best to let Grace eat her dinner in the living room to keep her safely out of harms way. We got a monstrocious tree this year and it would definitely do some damage if it fell on her. So we strapped her into her chair, gave her her dinner and juice, turned on the Sprout channel and then went to work putting up our Christmas tree. Needless to say, Grace found an interesting way to keep herself entertained while we were trying to get a 10 foot tree to stand up straight in the Christmas tree stand. About 10 minutes later, I asked Angel to peek in on Gracie, just to make sure she was okay. I'd heard her laughing and thought she was laughing at the cartoons that were on. But, no. He walked through the kitchen and into the living room and I heard a...."Uh, Mom?! You better come take a look at this!" THIS is what we found! LOL

She liked her mashed potatoes so much, she decided to WEAR them! btw...we discovered that mashed potatoes are a great conditioner for your hair! Her hair was so soft & silky after a good rinse :)

It's Gone...

This afternoon we said good-bye to our beautiful piano. We gave it to a woman from Montereyfreecycle.com It was just too big for our living room and our church is giving me a smaller piano they have in storage.

It's a bittersweet feeling.... many, many hours of worship were played on that piano *big sigh* but I'm looking forward to wearing down the keys of the piano that's yet to come. Soon, very soon....