Sickie Baby

I couldn't help myself from capturing this moment. My poor little baby Grace has been so sick. Fever, vomiting, diaherrea, cough, cold, double ear infection...all she does is sleep and drink her applejuice *her most favorite drink EVER* Get better my princess...Mommy loves you!

My Playmates

Today I went to visist a few of my most favorite little people on the planet. I was so excited to see Eli running to hug me the moment he saw me! His brother, Isaiah, was sleeping so I didn't have a chance to attack him and smother him with kisses (I'll get his pic another day). My neice, Isabella, loves when I baby her. I cuddle her up in my arms and talk to her like she was a little tiny baby. I even fed her the baby bottle that belongs to her baby doll and she smiles and coos as I serenade her with "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" LOL Whenever I'm having a hard day and need a break from the office, I take a drive down to my mom's house to visit with my little playmates. They bring such joy to my spirit and flood my heart with love. I do leave there a little more tired, but feeling the love these kids pour out is worth it. I love you Eli, Bella and Isaiah!! Tia will come to visit again soon...

We'll Bring Dessert...

Tonight we're having dinner with our good friends, Jose & Yesenia Hernandez. We've been friends with the Hernandez's for a few years now and there is nothing better in this world than friends who love you for who you are - period. We can sit and talk with them for HOURS! We talk about everything under the sun! Time flies by so fast when we're together. Tonight, Yesenia is making dinner and I'm bringing dessert. I just LOVE how this cake turned out!

Casa De Fruita?

In all the years we've travelled over Pacheco Pass, we had never stopped to play at Casa De Fruita. We were headed home from my Grandfather's Birthday party and decided to stop and let the kids walk around for a while. They were already thrilled by the trip. They love seeing family and they love staying in hotels even more! It had been YEARS since I had stopped at Casa De Fruita (other than to use the bathroom) so I was looking forward to stopping too. The kids took off running when we got there. We all rode the train, got on the double decker merry-go-round, brought some candy from the Sweet Shack and posed for all the "photo ops" :) Next time you pass it, try stopping! We had a lot of fun..

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!!!