Tragic event yesterday!!!

We have all been home this week together, which is the best gift of all. Yesterday we all went out to the park in our neighborhood, Carlos and myself on foot, and the girls on their scooters. As we were returning to the house, a fence on one of the houses was apparently loose, and a BIG, dog, the owner told me he weighs 80 pounds, literally POPPED out of this fence, and bit my little Sissy!!! It was incredibly frighting!!! Sissy was bitten on her back and hind leg on the left. The owner came out, and actually came with us to the vet, and she paid the bill! Sissy is OK, and well, it could have been so much worst. Sissy is taking antibiotics and pain medicine for the next week or so. A lot of people in our neighborhood have dogs, but I never imaged THIS! The wounds were only minor, but she just trembled! I didn't want to take any pictures, since she looked so SAD!

Merry Christmas!!! 2008

Merry Christmas! It has been a wonderful morning! Everyone was happy with their gifts! Santa brought new scooters for the girls. Most of our Christmas is on DVD, but I did some pictures on the camera. These pictures are from last night on Christmas eve. The girls opened two gifts last night. Both girls got new ear rings and dinnerware sets. I called Connie this morning to wish her a Merry Christmas. This has been an incredibly special Christmas for all of us! Merry Christmas to everyone!!!

A Beautiful Christmas Eve!

Last night was Christmas eve. What a beautiful night! We went to Christmas eve services at 5 pm. It was a candle light service. Our pastor always has a children's message in the beginning with all of the children. I took a picture of all the children sitting down with pastor Lewis. The pastor's wife, Liliana, took the picture of all of us after the service. We came home and had a blessed time together. We had Paella, Ham, and Chicken marinated with olive oil and saffron. We started a tradition of putting new pajamas on the girl's beds on Christmas eve. The girls opened two gifts and then were off to bed. I am so content, and we are so blessed. Merry Christmas!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

We returned this evening with the rest of the gifts for our adopted family, which we helped adopt along with the rest of our department at the hospital. A used mountain bike and some more gifts were delivered this evening. Cecilia, a 10 year old girl in the family got the bike, and she was so excited when she found out that she was going to receive the bike for Christmas. The picture is a Cecilia, 10 years old and the other photo is of the Maria, the mother, and Alfredo, age 3. They were so grateful to receive all of the gifts. Our department at the hospital will be helping them out this entire year. Merry Christmas!

Gingerbread Houses

This afternoon, we worked on gingerbread houses. We made gingerbread houses last year, and the girls really wanted to make the houses again this year. These are really easy kits, and there EATABLE!

Whats Christmas time without giving and the Trail of Lights

I was off Sunday night, and we had a "Blessed" afternoon of giving, sharing, and of course, the "Trail of Lights"! Our department every year sponsors a family at Christmas. These are families that are known within the Seton system or are patients within the Seton network. The family we sponsored this year was a family in great need. Nine people living in a small two bedroom apartment, with literally no furniture except a table and chairs. The mother was wheelchair bound with no feet. Two other RNs plus our family helped to take all of the gift up to their small second floor apartment. It was a good experience for the girls! We are SO BLESSED! We stopped and had some hot cocoa, then headed via bus to the Trail of lights. The Trail of Lights is in down town Austin, in Zilker park, we could actually see the Austin city sky line from the park. It was SO COLD!!! The wind chill was in the 20's!!!! But, we had a GREAT time! We go every year in spite of the weather. The displays are phenomenal!!! Our little neighbor, Tiffany came with us, and it was a wonderful evening. The Yule log was actually the entire trunk of two trees, the picture does not show the enormity of the wood! Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas Parties at the School this afternoon

Today were the Christmas parties up at the school. I made "Brownie Bites" for both classes and took an artichoke and red pepper dip and chips for Aden's class and tamales for Azul's class. I made gift baskets for Aden and Azul's teachers, with gourmet coffee, a Christmas mug, and some Biscotte. Aden's class had games, one was musical chairs, and a variety of goodies. Azul's class had BINGO, and art project, and LOTS of Mexican type foods. I went back and forth to both of their parties, but their classrooms are across the hall from each other, so it wasn't too bad. There was a nice turn out of parents also. The girls have a half day of school tomorrow, and start their vacation on Monday through Tuesday, January 6, 2009. Over all, the classes enjoyed their parties.

Extra lights + Extra Time = A Decorated Back Yard

What do you get when you have some extra time on your hands and a LOT of extra Christmas lights? A back yard covered with Christmas lights. Carlos did the back yard over the weekend, but it has been so cold, we haven't had them on to enjoy them. We have a timer in the front, but we haven't wanted to venture out in the evenings to flip the switch in the back. Last year for the new year, we had a lot of people here at the house, and are thinking about doing the same this year, so the lights in the back will be nice.

Breakfast with Santa and Choir Program

Yes, breakfast with Santa at 6 pm! This was a fund raiser for the school. Aden also had her second grade choir program. The girls had pancakes with the fixins. There was also a performance by the "White Tiger Dance Team". Tiffany, one of our neighbors and the girl's friend, danced with the dance team. We really had a fun time.