Merry Christmas Merry Christmas Merry Christmas

The happiest time of the year for me is Christmas.  I love going to the different stores and listening to Christmas carols while I browse around.   I love the many different beauiful ornaments and all the glittering lights every where I look.   I have noticed this year that not many people are putting Christmas lights outside in their yards, which makes me sad.   

It seems to me that while this economy crisis is going on for so many it is also a good time to stop and remember the reason for the season..........JESUS!     Christmas is not about how many presents/gifts we need to give our loved ones.   Being with our families doing simple things such as playing games or reading Christmas stories to our kids is one of the ways we can enjoy being together and is more meaningful.

Cooking is another one of the greatest things about this seasn.   Everyone loves to eat and in my household we make tamales, posole, menudo, empanadas and other delicious foods.

Lately I've been hearing on the radio that we are now supposed to say  'Happy Holidays'  instead of  "Merry Christmas".  Sheesh  don't 'they' understand that we are having a Merry Christmas and that is what makes our holiday happy.   '

Im on a borrowed computer and need to get off but I will leave  with this:

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU

Its Been A While

The lady in this picture says it all and shows how I felt when my computer wouldn't stay on!  I used to joke about throwing it out the window or bashing it with a hammer whenever it would give me problems or do something really weird, like go to sites I didn't ask for.  It finally stopped working one day just like that, zilch no more.  That is the reason I've been away from this blog for so long, and I was forced to crochet day and night.  I also forgot how to type (its coming back), or use any of the features I had learned 'lol' I guess.


Funny I never paid attention to prices on these machines when I saw them in the stores, but since I didn't pay for mine why would I?  My computer was a gift given to me by a very special niece.  That was the best deal (free) that I will ever find hahaha.  Now while I save my pennies Im hoping to run across another good deal....like really cheap.


Mean time so many special and not so special events have come and gone these past months, its unbelievable how time just flew by.  There was a family crisis which ended in a bad sort of way which didn't  make any sense to me then or even now.  Hurtful words  flying back and forth like arrows.  Stabbing stinking words ruining family relationships that might never be mended.  The way one apple can ruin a bushel of apples is exactly what happend in the human form, one person was all it took.  It reminds me of the scripture in the bible which says relative against relative...............you know which one.  Thank God for the blood which helps me keep quiet and lets Him fight my battles.  The mother bear in me was roaring! 


I am another year older and  the proud owner of a silver light weight 'walker' and a heavy duty brown 'cane' given to me by a relatve.  While I try real hard not to use them too much and force myself to move so I don't freeze up.  When I was young and wanted to drive a car I had to get a drivers license and take a driving test.  Now that Im old I have to 'Apply' for these contraptions to see if  I qualify through SSI, hahaha nothing has ever been easy...............Seriously I am thinking of getting a walker with a little seat so I can sit if Im in too much pain, even if I have to buy it myself. 


My granddaughter Barbie became an adult!  She is now 18 years old, eligible to enlist in the military, vote and drive a car..............where did the years goooo? 


My son Paul who also became a grandpa this year is now 40 years old, yikes!..........(met his granddaughter for the first time. *Devyn Lee, she is beautiful.)   Other grandkid's birthdays were celebrated by phone, cards or in person.


Halloween night we had Harvest Fest at our church with games, horse back rides and food.  It was a huge success.  Both my hubby and I worked in a booth helping  the kiddies pin the tail on the donkey.  Because of my aching back we left as soon as our shift was over.


Thanksgiving was a fabulous time of sitting around the table with family and friends.  Being noisy, talking and eating the scrumptious food cooked by my daugher Tiffany and different dishes brought by others.  Daddy even decided to join us for a while and it meant alot to me because mom wasn't here, I just wish my brother and Nancy had come.


The Santa Ana winds came in full force of 80 mph knocking down trees every where.  Our plantation looked like  the song says 'Home on the range'.  Tumble weeds were, in the pond the gardens everywhere you looked.  We were lucky that our electricity didn't go out as it did in LA where most of our relatives live.  They were without power for a couple of days, living by candle light and cuddling up at night to keep warm.  The wind was so cold it came right through the walls in my little house.  It was like living a modern day 'Little House On the Prairie' lol.  How did our ancestors do it!


It is 2:00am Sunday morning, my back is hurting and I can't sleep.  Since I am staying overnite with my granddaughter Daisy while her parents are in Palm Springs for a couple of days I thought it was a great idea  to use my grandsons's computer for a while.   To kinda release my thoughts which have been cramping my brain while being saved until I buy my new computer. 


What a doll Daisy is!  She made french toast for breakfast yesterday for herself and her friend Sophie, and called to ask if I would like some.  Of course I said yes.............I asked her why there was so much batter in the bowl and she admitted thats why she invited me because she had made toooooo much...............out of the mouths of babes hahaha.


It is now 3:30am, I took a pill (what kind doesn't matter none work) and going to lay down for a while.  Hopefully I can get a few winks before daylight.




Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to whoever might read this blog God bless you all  <3

The Mad Hatter

I found these head pieces in one of the stores I went into yesterday, and immediately thought of my granddaughter Daisy.who loves to wear hats and head bands.     There were so many to look at and the sales person assured me that they all come in different colors.     These three were at the top of my list just in case I do go back and buy one for her.   ( I decided not to buy at the last minute because they were a little toooooo pricey.   Now Im having second thoughts and thinking I should have bought one any way.    I know she would have liked it). 


This head piece was beautiful with pink and brown feathers on it.

This black hat also caught my eye.   It was so cute and my second choice had I gone ahead and bought it for Daisy.  

 

This is is a very elegant black headband with a bow on it, the picture doesn't truly show how beautiful it really is.    It wasn't quite as pricey as the hats, but I felt that if I describe it in detail to  my daughter Tiffany she can easily make a replica.   Why spend when you have a talented daughter............right??

Visit with the Relatives

Why didn't  I  follow up on visiting uncle Larry before this?    In the past five years (or more) I've told him that we would go to San Diego 'one day' and visit.    Yesterday we and my four sisters-in-law decided to go   because Bobby's aunt Huera & cousin Sandra who came from Albuquerque are staying with uncle Larry for a week.    It was a little emotional at first for everybody:  we hadn't seen aunt Huera since my m-i-l died last year.

The weather couldn't have been more perfect, in fact it was a little chilly.   Towards the evening we had to put on sweaters that I almost didn't take because I thought it would be too hot.   Always follow your instincts my momma always used to say.

We sat outside in the patio talking and laughing while we tried to eat lunch too. Lolol   I hadn't laughed this much and so hard in a long time.   I had tears rolling down my face.   Makes me sad that my family lives so far away.   Lily the oldest sister is hysterical, she makes you laugh with every word that comes out of her mouth.   She really  should have been the mexican  'I love Lily'.    Why is it that time passes by so fast when your having fun?

From uncle Larry's house there is a nice view of the sky line of San Diego.   He lives in a beautiful spanish style stucco home and he has furnished and decorated it with spanish flair just like we see in magazines...........'BUT',   let me tell you about the backyard !!!!   I don't know why, guess I should have been a gardener/landscaper/horoculturalist...whatever.   Anyway  Bobby says Im crazeeee hehehe ask me if I care.   There is a garden in the back yard with many colorful flowers of different types, plants, foxtail & asparagus ferns, several types of palm trees and different cactus everywhere.    All maintained by uncle Larry and his roommate.   With pathways leading to benches here and there to sit and read a book or just meditate.   He gave me lots of cuttings from the many plants and I can hardly wait to put them in my own garden.   Larry gave me a plant that looks like a weed but is actually a plant that doesn't need to be in dirt or in a pot.    He has some hanging from trees/fences and while it is very different in a nice way it looks very beautiful hanging.   He also has some stuck into  lattices or wreaths.   The best part is you only have to water them once a day and they grow!!   I will put mine on a tree and hope that it grows like his do.   Another plant that he gave me also looks like a big weed and he uses it for ground cover.   Just set it down ON the ground and it spreads and grows wild.   Their garden is just like the ones you see in Woman's magazine!!   The moisture that is always in the air from the ocean is what keeps everything so beautiful.   We live in the desert and have to work hard to have anything grow beautiful outside.    BUT IM SURE GONNA GIVE IT A TRY!

Several hours later we all went in different cars to Seaport Village since we would all be going in different directions at the end of the night.    It wasn't very crowded at all and the restaurants were almost empty since it was a week day.    Laughing at the sissy's as they danced in the streets we went in and out of different shops and browsed around.   I almost, thats a big almost, bought a cute hat for my lil Daisy, but decided not to because it was a bit pricey.   She would've loved it and so would her moma.

We will definately go back to visit uncle Larry and stay at a hotel over night so we can be tourists.   I would like to go thru the old town section and other parts of San Diego.   Its been at least 25 yrs since we were here and at that time we went to Balboa park and on the Coronado bridge.

All things come to an end, after all the good-byes we had a really nice ride back home.   It was late and we were tired but I was so hyper I couldn't sleep and stayed up to crochet.

Where Ever You Want To Go

Four months ago my daughter gave us two free round trip tickets for the Metro train so my hubby and I could go to the destination of our choice.    Isn't she just so sweet?   It has taken this long to use these tickets because so many things have transpired between then and now.  

I chose San Juan Capistrano, and today my hubby and I took a ride on the Metro down south  Yay!!   This will be our first  excursion in the last two years.    Not that we didn't try to get away before!    (My trips into LA don't count because those are have to trips sometimes).

We started off from the train station in dwntwn Sn Bdno at exactly 11:20am on theee dot,  we arrived on the button at 1:00pm,  just as the lady on the phone said we would.   Thank God we finally got there we were so tired of sitting and the seats aren't all that comfortable.

We started at the 'Old Town' section first and went into all  the shops and even some of the restaurants so we could look at the menus.    There was even a shop with stuff that he likes and he loved it, I could hardly get him out of there hehehe.    I was so amazed at all the beautiful gardens  everywhere you look and on every street.    My husband says  it was all in my head, but I know the colors of the flowers were more vivid and the green plants were really green compared to what we have at home.    The flowers are so bright if you can imagine that.    I love cacti, and one of the shops we visited had some cactus plants I had never seen before.   They were awesome and the arrangements were just incredible...........ahhh to be so talented.    Too bad I live so far, the lady gives classes and teaches how to make flower and plant arrangements.
 
Since we didn't have a car we had to walk everywhere and it got a little tiring after a while.   If I had bought anything we would've had to carry it around and lug it on board with us to take back home.    With a big ~sigh~ I just looked at the bright side......maybe the walk would do me some good and I'd lose a lb or two lol.    Bobby was glad there was no car because that meant I couldn't really buy anything

Im so glad we decided to go inside the mission area.   It was incredible to me that we couldn't touch the  bldgs  because they were over two thousand years old!!    I can just see newspaper....'Fat woman leans on door of Sn Jn Cap Mission and entire wall collapses'..........There is an awesome pond right in the middle and has beautiful Koi fish.   I think we walked around and looked at every square inch of that place.

We had so much fun laughing and looking around imagining ourselves in those days comparing pictures to some of our ancestors.   We decided that Bobby is of Spanish descent (not mexican) just like his mom said, those Spaniards were  blond, white and blue eyed.   Almost all of his family are huero's lololol.

Well I was trying to post some pictures I took on my camera but its not letting me so until I figure out how to do this major project , please if you haven't gone to this place 'GO'.

Ten Years Later

 

                                               

ƖƝ ӇƠƝƠƦ ƠƑ 9/ľľ ƬƦƛƓЄƊƳ

For all those people who perished on September 11, 2001,
We pay tribute to you.

May the Angels watch over you all,
and guide you with loving care,
may they keep watch on your soul,
may they show you better ways,
may they guard you while you're sleeping,
may they give you love and light,
and know you are not forgotten.

Our thoughts and prayers
are with the families and friends,
of the victims that were taken in 9/11.

(¯`v´¯)
  `·.¸.·´
via Wings of Love ♥ 

Although it will be extremely emotional for many, we need to honor all the lives that were taken by never forgetting today. I thank all the men and women who have given their lives to try and make this a better place and keep another 9-11 from happening!

                                                   GOD  BLESS AMERICA

Roman Road

Romans 12:4-21 MSG

4 In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. 5 The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, 6 let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't.

If you preach, just preach God's message, nothing else; 7 if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; 8 if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.

9 Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. 10 Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. 11 Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, 12 cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. 13 Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality. 14 Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. 15 Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. 16 Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody. 17 Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. 18 If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. 19 Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God.

"I'll take care of it."

20 Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. 21 Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.

I borrowed this from another blog after clicking on to it by mistake.    After reading it I found it very interesting and a lot of the things mentioned had my name after it. 

Sunflower

I never thought these flowers were all that and then I found out they were my granddaughter Daisy's favorite flower.   Taking a second and a third look I guess they are pretty awesome in their own way.   I always thought they were wild flowers growing out in the fields lol.

New Beginnings

Strategies for frugality 
 
Frugality is the quality of being frugal, sparing, thrifty, prudent or economical in the use of consumable resources such as food, time or money, and avoiding waste, lavishness or extravagance.
Common strategies of frugality include the reduction of waste, curbing costly habits, suppressing instant gratification by means of fiscal self-restraint, seeking efficiency, avoiding traps, defying expensive social norms, embracing cost-free options, using barter, and staying well-informed about local circumstances and both market and product/service realities. Frugal living is practiced by those who aim to cut expenses, have more money, and get the most they possibly can from their money.

 My husband & I have been trying to see how we can become 'frugal' with our spending, eating, giving (except for church) and sporadic urges.

We have decided on cutting back in our weakest area  'DINING OUT.'   Elimination will be as follows:  first the small hole in the wall   restaurants who serve delishus food that tastes like mama just made it from scratch, next are the restaurants where you can eat all you want (people need 2 stomachs for these) and all the other restaurants which are too many to name.   Finally the deadliest of all will be the fast food places which help us pack on the calories and pounds as we drive thru and eat on the run.

Tonite for dinner we ate homemade bean n cheese burritos with a little bit of fresh diced jalapenos.   We each had two and they were very tasty, ahh maybe just a little bit spicy lol. 
After a little calculating we found that we saved almost $22 because burritos we buy are normally five dollars (plus tax) each.  Im gonna have to learn how to make 'Pork Green Chile Burrittos', they are  my favorite burrito.

Heaven's Grocery Store

I was walking down life's highway a long time ago.
One day I saw a sign that read, "Heaven's Grocery Store".
As I got a little closer the door came open wide,
and when I came to myself I was standing inside.
I saw a host of Angels, they were standing everywhere.
One handed me a basket and said, "My Child shop with care".
Everything a Christian needs is in that grocery store,
and all you can't carry, come back the next day for more.

First, I got some Patience, Love was in the same row.
Further down was Understanding, needed everywhere you go.
I got a box or two of Wisdom, a bag or two of Faith,
I just couldn't miss the Holy Ghost, it was all over the place.
I stopped to get some Strength and Courage to help me run this race,
but then my basket was getting full, and I remembered I needed Grace.

I didn't forget Salvation, which like the others was free,
so I tried to get enough of that to save both you and me.
Then I started to the counter to pay my grocery bill,
for I thought I had everything to do my master's will.
As I went up the aisle, I saw Prayer and had to put it in,
for I knew when I stepped outside, I would run right into sin.
Peace and Joy were plentiful, they were on the last shelf.
Song and Praises were hanging near, so I just helped myself.

Then I said to the Angel, "How much do I owe"?
The Angel smiled and said, "Just take them everywhere you go."
Again, I politely asked "How much do I really owe?"
The Angel smiled again and said, "My Child, Jesus Paid Your Bill A Long Time Ago."

by Ron DeMarco
Copyright 1990

I LOVE FOOD

Profound Quotes

I love food and I love everything involved with food. I love the fun of it. I love restaurants. I love cooking, although I don't cook very much. I love kitchens.
~Alma Guillermoprieto~