Christmas decorations 2010

We decorated for Christmas yesterday. We have a very small tree that was my Mama's and I love it! We put some lights on our top front porch and stockings on the stairs and snowflakes everywhere. It is so nice to actually decorate this year. It is the first time in 3 years. In Costa Rica we had paper Christmas trees. The first year here we had an empty house (still waiting on our container) and last year we had just moved and didn't decorate. I am like a kid too I love the lights!!!!

Christmas Pictures 2010 Dominican Style

We had a little photo shoot with the famous photographer Santiago (Shay) Griffin! They turned out pretty good - Grandmothers should be happy!!

This is the before!~ I can't keep a shirt on Jesse - He likes showing off his 6 pack!!
Sierra had to have her baby in the pics
So Jesse had to have his eagle!




Damie just wants to look as cool as possible. (He's doing a pretty good job) I can already hear the whispers of the teenage years (it ought to be interesting with these three!!)

They really do love each other this much, they just don't always act like it!!

This one was for a "Mom" Frame I have that has a picture of me and Damie and Sierra, before Jesse was even born. So I thought it was about time I updated it!?!? (What? I've been a little busy! lol)

Sierra

Grammy Sugar brought Sierra this beautiful dress so we had a little photo shoot!

It's been almost a year!

I realized I need to keep this up just for a journal, since I'm not a scrapbooker or a journaler. So I am going to try to catch up. I know it will be out of order and that will bother some of my friends, but at least it is here!!








This is what's going on right now! RAIN, RAIN and more RAIN!
This was taken by Shay on the way home from the Ranch.
We, as a family, are loving it, but it really isn't good for a lot of reasons. Most homes are not made to handle this much rain. Also Restoration Ranch is in the middle of expanding Fran's (the family that lives at Restoration Ranch) home. They are kind of at a point where they have to wait for the rain to stop to finish. They are very excited for more room and for the first time ever they will have a bathroom inside!!!!!!! We are all so blessed!!!

Our 1st Dominican Birthday Party 12-12-2009

1st Birthday's are a BIG deal here!! Shay's best friend Jorge's daughter Georgie. The invitatioin said `4:00pm, so like good American's we showed up at 4pm and the team was just starting to set up. Here the starting time of birthday parties, weddings etc... is when everyone starts getting ready for the party!! So about an hour later everyone started showing up and the party lasted until 9pm. The entire time was full of singing, dancing, clowns, cake (a huge cake), food, drink and last but not least the Pinata!!! There were two pinatas - one for the big kids and one for the little ones. It was total chaos, but lots of fun!!

Our new house 12-5-2009

When we got back from the US we moved! Moving here is not as easy as moving in the US. In the US we have Grandpa and his big furniture truck. Here we literally moved with multiple trips in taxis and a small furniture truck (4 trips). All this aside we are so excited with how the Lord blessed us. When Pastor Tony came to visit us this past summer he came during one of the hottest times and we didn't have power, so no fans. When he left he prayed that we would find a place that was cool and with trees. That is very unusually here, but guess what our God did?? We live in a very spacious two story house surrounded by huge mango trees that shade all sides of the house, a canal in the back and all for the same price we were paying in the little hot house we lived in!!!!!!!! God is Good!


Our front porchJesse's room - there used to be a bunk bed, but since Sierra currently has 6 stitches because of it we took it down. He likes his low bed, but we will get him a frame soon.
School room, Sewing room, Office etc... from up stairs
Damie's Room
Sierra'a Room
Kitchen
Our Room
Dinning Room
Other side of our room - which is also our living room so that Damie could have a room to himself.

When we got back from the US we moved! Moving here is not as easy as moving in the US. In the US we have Grandpa and his big furniture truck. Here we literally moved with multiple trips in taxis and a small furniture truck (4 trips). All this aside we are so excited with how the Lord blessed us. When Pastor Tony came to visit us this past summer he came during one of the hottest times and we didn't have power, so no fans. When he left he prayed that we would find a place that was cool and with trees. That is very unusually here, but guess what our God did?? We live in a very spacious two story house surrounded by huge mango trees that shade all sides of the house, a canal in the back and all for the same price we were paying in the little hot house we lived in!!!!!!!! God is Good!

Our Trip to the US Sept - Nov 2009

Grammy Sugar!
Grandpa Jack!
Grandmother!
Jesse with his new glasses!
Mama and Papa!

We had to go home to renew the kids passports so we took this opportunity to speak in a few churches and visit with family and friends!
The boys also got glasses!!
They have done pretty good using them, well Damie has, Jesse's are bent, the ear pieces are chewed off... He's 6 what can I say??