WOW time flies!

I can not believe the last time I blogged was the first day of school.  I am a slacker Tina.  I will blog in a few days about Gabys singing debut it was great.  But for this blog I am going to copy my sisters.

Christmas Traditions

While checking out her blog today, I found this fun survey and since I'm completely exhausted from all of the Christmas season running around, I thought I'd cheat and "borrow" this idea!!
Here it goes:)

1~Wrapping paper or gift bags?? Paper w/big bows and curling ribbon! It's way more fun to s ee someone struggling with ribbons then just pulling a wad of tissue paper out of a bag:)  I love this answer so I am keeping it.
2~Real or Artificial tree?? Artificial but if we lived where it was not 85 on Christmas I would love a real one.
3~When do you put up your tree? As soon after Thanksgiving as we can.
4~When do you take the tree down? sometime the first week in January
5~Do you like eggnog? No, yuck!
6~Favorite gift received as a child? My Unicycle.
7~Easiest person to buy for? My kids, they ask for 2 or 3 things and I can usually get almost all of what they want.
8~Do you have a nativity scene? Yes
9~Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail! Do people seriously send email Christmas cards???  I have already gotten a few of these.
10~Worst Christmas gift ever received? one of those roomba vacuum cleaners that just runs around the house by itself... a little creepy if you ask me and I had a house with almost all wood floors! Sorry Mom, but I love you anyway!!  I have to agree with this one.
11~Favorite Christmas movie?  Frosty the Snowman and Polar Express
12~When do you start shopping for gifts? Usually I start on Black Friday but this year I will start on Sat.  Did I really say that.
13~Have you ever recycled a Christmas gift? you betcha! How many candles and lotions can one person use?? lol  Completely agree
14~Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? anything chocolate!! 
15~Lights on the tree? ah, duh!! Does anyone have a tree in their house without lights??? 
16~Favorite Christmas song? I go the Third Day CD from my Secret Santa at work this year and it is awesome.
17~Travel for Christmas or stay home? I have mixed feelings about this one. I would love to have all my family together for Christmas without having to travel, but I guess as long as we are here and they are there... traveling will be always be in someone's Christmas plans!  One year I want to just go somewhere to get away from it all but I guess it is more about and more fun with family and friends around.
18~Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes
19~Angel or star on the tree top? neither, I have a snowman and man is he cute!!  ME TOO!
20~Open presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? As a child we all went to church Christmas Eve and when we got home we could pick one presents from under the tree to open. I loved it! It always made me feel like I was getting away with something:) Now, we open them all in the morning.  Same Here.  We might change this up a little this year.
21~Most annoying thing about this time of year? People to crazy over the perfect gift.  
22~Favorite ornament? The ones my kids have made.
23~Favorite Christmas dinner? Roast Duck 
24~What do you want for Christmas this year? A NAP


OK, that's mine! Now I'd love to read yours:) Do one on your blog and link back here and here so I can read them!

A Day of First for all of the Girls!!

                             The girls before heading off to school.  They were both so excited.
                                                                   Me and the girls!
                                                          Gaby in front of her new class.
                                    Through the window of Gaby's class.  She adjusted well.
                                                   Check out Sofie's kicks.  She loves them.  

Last Monday was a day of firsts for all of the Vazquez girls.  Sofie started her first day of 1st grade which she loves.  Gaby started her first day of Preschool, which she loves.  And I started my first day of work (in 6 years) which I also love.  I am teaching Gym at a local preschool where Gaby is going.  I thought she would have a hard time adjusting since she has only ever been with me, but she loves her teachers Ms Gloria and Ms Kelly.  She is having so much fun.  Sofie loves 1st grade, she is still trying to understand though why she does not have homework every night.  I keep trying to tell her to enjoy it now, because I am sure it is coming.  

Gaby is 3!!!!

                                                       Gaby eating her Cold Stone Ice Cream!

                                               This is the Cars cake that I made for her!

                                           Gaby in her Lightning McQueen bikini!!  She would not take it off.

                                                 Gaby with her cake!

                                          Paige, Abby, Carter, Sofie, and Gaby!!  

I love this kid!!  Gaby turned 3 yesterday.  She still continues to amaze me every day.  And when she is around you are always laughing, she is definitely the one that will keep the party going.  We had a low key day on her actual birthday since John had Lasik that morning.  We went out to Coldstone for ice cream that night.  Today we went to my moms house for a party.  When we got there she had some Cars decorations and balloons, Gaby loved it.  She got a lot of cool Cars things and she got a Cars bikini that my mom made for her.  She wanted to sleep in it tonight, no kidding, she would not take it off, I had to take it off of her an put her PJs on after she went to sleep.  Johns parents, her Abu and Papa also came up for the weekend to celebrate with her.  She loves her Abu and Papa.  It has been a great birthday and I love her more and more everyday, she is so funny and loving to be around.  Here are a few BDay pics.

I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW!

On Friday the 1st John had Lasik eye surgery.  He said it was amazing and he can see clearly now without any glasses or contact lenses.  The girls and I watched the surgery and it got my stomach going a little.  Here is a pic of John in sunglasses which he has not worn in over 8 years.  He looks so different.  We also let Sofie smash his glasses she thought that was cool!

Happy 4th of July

At the Fireworks show!
The bike parade!
Abby claiming her 1st place.  Look at her face, she was so happy!!
Sofie and Abby
In the backyard playing with sparklers!

Today is the 4th of July.  Last night we went and saw a big fireworks display and then this morning we went to the clubhouse and the kids decorated their bikes and scooters for a patriotic wheels parade.  Later in the day they had a pie and ice cream social where they also announced the winner of the patriotic t-shirt decorating, Abby won 1st place.  She was so excited and we are all so proud of her.  Later after dinner the kids played with sparklers and the ever faithful pop its.   They are now watching the fireworks on TV that are in New York.  We had a great and restful holiday.  HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY TO EVERYONE!!

Happy Anniversary

Today is our 9th Anniversary.  We have had a great marriage so far with many ups and downs and a lot of adventures.  We have enjoyed our life together so far with travels and family and just enjoying each other.  John and I have been through a lot in our 9 married years together so far and I am sure that there will be much more in the future.  We have two beautiful daughters and a great home and a happy life to show for it.  I am truly looking forward to many many more years to come.  I want to thank my husband and let both he and everyone else know how much I love him and our life together, more now and the day we were married.  Here's to another 9.

I LOVE YOU HON!

The Disney Cruise

The girls with Mickey before getting on the boat.
The girls at the drill for the life boats.
The Elephant.  The kids loved to see which new ones they would get each night.
The girls loved burying John in the sand.

This past weekend we went on a Disney Cruise.  It was sooooo much fun!!  If anyone asks I will always say you should go.  If you have ever seen the commercial for the Disney Cruise and the little girl is still talking about the cruise a year later I think that it is actually true.  We went with the four of us and we also took my middle niece, Abby with us.  They all had such a good time and were so appreciative of everything.  I am posting a few pics from our vacation.  I have posted all of them on my facebook page if you want to see them.

What happens when your 2 year old gets a hold of your digital camera!!

Here are some pics that Gaby took one day when she got a hold of our camera.  She was trying to take pictures of the inside of her mouth.  Enjoy the comic relief!!!

In the Water!

John and the kids in the river.
Sofie standing tall.  I could not rotate.  Sorry!
John with the sting rays.
Gaby floating in the river.
Sofie petting a sting ray.  It was so funny.  There was a handicap ramp down into the sting ray area and the kids would run down it and get the attention of a sting ray and then it would chase them back up the ramp.  It was hilarious. Sofie snorkeling.

Here are just a few pics of the kids and us enjoying the water play areas at Discovery Cove.  We went snorkeling and floating in addition to swimming with the dolphins.

Underwater

This fish was quite scary looking with its big teeth.  Hey Uncle Rusty, do you know what it is?
Some of the fish around the reef.
A hugh sting ray or man a ray, not really sure which is which.
I just liked this pretty blue fish.
Gaby was so excited when she put her head under water and saw these Nemo fish.  

Here are some pics that we took underwater in the Coral Reef at Discovery Cove.  There is no zoom on the underwater cameras so what you see is how close we actually got.  The fish we vibrant colors and very cool.  The man-a-rays and sting rays were large and a little scary.

AMAZING!!!!

After we swam with the dolphins they let Gaby come in the water with us and pet the dolphins and hug them.  She thought that was the coolest thing.
This is Sofia on her swim.  You hold onto the dorsal fin and flipper and they pull you along.  Look at the smile on her face.
John with Dexter.  

Sofie and I with Corral.

All I can say is that anyone who has not been before and has the opportunity, I would say ditch Disney this time and head over to Discovery Cove.  It was such an awesome experience and we all got to actually relax and connect as a family.  When you walk in you have to take off all of your jewelry and put your stuff in a locker, so that means no cell phones and no watches.  The food was unlimited and awesome and it was an awesome adventure.  I want to go back again already.  I am trying to figure out an excuse to go.  I will do another post when I get all of the pictures back from Costco.  Also I can not post the ones we took yet because I let my battery for the camera in the hotel.  They are going to send it to me.

Determination

Well I had said in a previous blog that I know where the girls get their sense of adventure from, their mom.  I now also know where Sofia gets her determination (John calls it stubborness) from, me.  Here is a little background story that I am sure other than myself, my mom and sister are the only other two people remember.  I was about 5 or 6 and I was determined to get my one turn, this is a move in twirling where you throw the baton in the air, turn around under it and then catch it.  I stayed outside one night for about 5-6 hours because I said I was not coming in until I got it.  Well I did and then I went inside.  

Sofia made a decision that she was going to get her round off back handspring, this is in gymnastics, before she turned 6.  Tonight's practice was her last chance and she was not going to leave until she got it.  Well, she DID.  I am so happy for her.  She got in the car after practice and said "I am so proud of myself mom."  I love her more everyday.

The first video clip is her getting it and sticking it and the second one is when she honks the horn.  When they learn a new move in gymnastics and they accomplish it, they get to honk the horn and then everyone in the gym watches them.  She did awesome.

Old School Birthday Party

For Sofie's 6th Birthday she wanted a Roller Skating party.  Wow!  What a time warp that is when you walk into a roller rink.  It feels and looks just like they did when we were kids.  She had a great time.  It was a great turnout and everyone enjoyed themselves.  I made the roller skate cake that is in the previous blog and she loved it.  I am so proud to be Sofia's mom.  She truly is a great and caring girl.  She cares about others and their feelings.  A little girl came and her mom was going to be coming back later to pick her up.  The little girl was upset and Sofie asked her what was wrong and she said that she was sad because her mom was not back yet with the present for Sofie.  Sofie then tells her that that is OK because her being there was as good as a present.  I Love Her.  Happy 6th Birthday Sofie you are an awesome daughter that I am so proud of.

I DID IT!!

Well I truly surprised myself this evening.  Sofie is having a roller skating party tomorrow for her 6th birthday and she wanted a roller skating cake.  I could not find anyone who made them so I decided to make it myself.  I found an idea online to use a tennis shoe cake pan and make it from that.  Here is how it turned out.  I love it.  We will see what Sofie thinks in the morning.  I also made some cupcakes which are funny but I am going to have to make some adjustments to them before I take them to a child's party.  Look at them and you will see what I mean.

Roller Coaster Girls!!

Well the Vazquez girls definitely got their sense of adventure from their mother and not their father.  They both love roller coasters.  Over this past Spring break we went to Disney for the weekend where Gaby road her first roller coaster, The Barnstormer.  She loved it and was smiling from ear to ear.  She talked about it the entire time and wanted to keep riding it.

Then later in the week we went for a day trip up to Busch Gardens.  It was a lot of fun.  Sofie took a spin on her first roller coaster that went upside down, or as she likes to say a loop de loop.  She has been on Everest at Animal Kingdom before and loves it and I think it goes almost upside down but it is hard to really tell since it is all in the dark.  But the Scorpion at Busch Gardens definitely does.  She wants her Aunt Tina and Uncle Rusty to come down and ride the Scorpion with her.

NO FEAR Girls!! I love It!