My presents from Amalekia was the different types of massagers.One was a pillow that vibrated, a massager for my back and a flat contraption that heats and vibrates. He put it on my van seat so I could wear it as I drove to C.C. Angelique made a scrapbook full of pics. It was beautiful!

Holidays with Johnny and Magda

Johnny and Magdas house is the place to be! I remember Magda would make a bucket full of cookies. Oatmeal being my favorite. Magda can cook. Johnny can cook. They would invite the missionaries and usually the older adults that had no ones to spend the holidays with and we sometimes had homeless people over to eat. Football! It is so funny watching first ward sunday school lesson on a football sunday. No questions asked and sit back and watch all the men leave church go home and change out of their church clothes and put on their football jerzies and football caps. I love going to johnnies house to eat after church. I love discussing what we learned at church. Gospel discussion is always interesting at johnnies. Board Games: The kids love to play chess with Johnny and the rest of the gang. We played perfection and battleship.

Thanksgiving 2009

I came down to Corpus Christi for the Thanksgiving. The boys came with me and Magda cooked everything! It was yummy! The single adults and their families are treated every year to a thanksgiving dinner. Every single adult is scattered so they will not be with their own ward. A married couple is assigned to each table and is in charge of decorating their table and making dessert. They each bring real china to eat on. We all get entertained with tons of special numbers. We had a nice time.

My birthday was wonderful! Araceli sang two songs for my birthday. Amalekia made my birthday cake and we went over to grandmas to eat it. Grandma and Noemi gave me a gift and Araceli made me the crown I am wearing. BEATS through me a surprise party. I got cake and they put mariachis on the computer and we had tamales. It was so sweet! They had a hard time getting me to the location. I was going to miss and was basically saying you guys can do this without me. I have faith in you guys. You don't need me and come to find out it was a party for me. LOL

halloween 2009

The kids went around the neighborhood! Amalekia worked hard on making his mouth open and close. I wanted to take the time and brag on Amalekia. He is a real stephen spielburg! He knows every scary movie that comes out and all about the directors and how they filmed each movie. His major is media technology and has made a couple of movie clips and posted them on u-tube. He really knows his stuff! When "Zombie Land" came out he got all dressed up zombie style and went to see the movie. He actually roasted his suit on the bar b que pit for that special look he needed.

Front Seat Drama 11/2/09

We had just finished eating chinese on a Monday night. AMS was at NH college in class. Amulek feeling the need to obtain the front seat, pulled Amerikas from her thrown. Problem being that her fingers where tightly gripping the metal bar at the bottom of her seat which resulted in the sliding movement of fingers against metal(sliced fingers) Amerika said it didn't hurt until she saw it and could see white which we both thought was bone. We called the ambulence and waited. She was bleeding real bad. Its funny but I can take stuff like this without losing it. But the emotional stuff hits me harder. Poor Amulek felt so bad. He was using Amerikas phone and his phone to call who know who. I told Angelique to make sure Araceli was o.k. Ambulance arrived and wrapped up Amerikas arm. I knew from experience that she wasn't going for the ride. She chinesse owners were so nice.They brought her ice and waited with us. I dropped off all Amulek, Angelique and Araceli at home and went to the hospital. I was amazed that they saw us so quickly. Because Amerika was 18 (an adult)they let her sign all the papers. How bought paying the bill? lol Amerika was super dooper brave. I have had stitches before and know that the shots that numb you are so painful. She did not hold my hand put she cried tears and curved her back in the air in pain. I gently corrected her when she was about to say OMG to OMGoodness lol Because of this we got to discuss child birth. She might not want to have children now. lol She is a brave, brave girl. She can take some pain. These pics are GRUESOME, hum! AMERIKA RECD 10 STICHES - FIVE ON EACH FINGER. 6 SHOTS TO NUMB EACH OF HER TWO FINGERS. YOU COULD SEE THE TENDONES! SHE WAS COUPLE DAYS LATE FOR HALLOWEEN! I love you Amerika! Amulek has rendured the front seat now and forever. We enjoyed taking all these pics. I remember being facinated when I would sprane an ankle or have an injury. This is a day that Amerika will hang over Amuleks head forever!

ScreamWorld

I guess once you have given birth to five kids NOTHING CAN SCARE YOU! Me, a co-worker and Amalekia worked the LSC-North Harris table. At the end we got to go inside the scarey house. AMS had gone last year so it was two girls left alone. Pat kept on trying to reqruit kids in the scary house. I can now say I've been to one of Houstons scarey attractions. It took us about 15 minutes to get through the group we were with went fast. That had some neat stuff in there.

BAKED A HUGE COOKIE AND LET THE GIRLS GO AT IT! Sugar Cookies, mm mmmm good!

Ten Things About ME!

1)Symbolism- Everything on my wall besides pictures has to mean something,down to my jewelry. I still wear my young women medallion and I also wear a tree necklace that represents geneology,family etc. thanks mom for finding that for me and buying it for me.I love quotes on the wall to remind me of how I need to be living.
2)Love to collect Rocks! I love how each one is different and how the river of life has shaped them and molded them. Its very symbolic to me. I don't like china figures things you put on the mantel and collect dust. It doesn't mean anything. I love to look up at the stars. I use to have the urge to sit on the roof of my house and lay on my back and look at the stars. They were immovable and beautiful. My fav. animal is a penguin. I like the way they wobble and they seem never be alone.They always seem dressed up in a tuxedo. I rather have a meaningful gift then a bought gift.Of course unless there was some meaning behind it.ha ha
3)I like to shake my leg. I don't even realize I am doing it and it annoys some people that are sitting beside me. I can be listening to a talk... in fact im doing it now Ha ha. I will shake my leg to rock myself to sleep and shake my leg to wake myself up.
4)Jack of All Trades Master of none. I love to dance-hip hop, salsa, country, folklorico. Play piano, conduct music, quilt, use to cake decorate but I am burnt out.... Been a defensive driving instructor, model, teach alcohol awareness classes, been in charge of a stake cultural night with over 300 in attendance. etc...NOPE I don't really excell at anything I just mentioned.
5)I see the potential in others. Very often, thats all I see. People seek me out because they know I am geniune and it is fufilling to me to help.I want my kids to know their opinion matters and there creativity is appreciated.
6)I can sense the emotions of those around me. I can feel what they are feeling as though they are my own. I share their perspective. I don't necessarily feel pity though. That would be sympethy not empathy. I don't condone the choices of others but I understand them. I anticipate the need. I help others give voice to their emotional life.
7)I love planning creative things for my family to do or go. I like to do things that are free we will up and go 40 minutes away to a festival i've never heard of just for the experience and because it was free.
8)Death somehow fascinates me. I think i've counted 8 funerals that I have attended since I was 11. my funeral-Hymn"Battle Hymn of the Republic" I want white roses,I want all my kids to dress in white and to speak at my funeral, I promise to be at my funeral watching. I want my casket at home not in the morg. Death, journal writing, geneology. Its all connected.. you are who you are because of your past and you live for your future and to leave something worthwhile to others.
9)i'm patient and have a strong belief that sets a pattern of core values that are enduring. I value responsibility and high ethics-both in myself and others.this gives me meaning and satisfaction. Provides me with direction, guiding you through temptations and distractions toward a set of priorities. friends say im dependable because they know where I stand. my work must be meaningful.
10)Backbone- Being single makes you develop a backbone. I am a soft discipliner at home but the rath will be mighty if they do something wrong.. example-stealing, at school.They know if they steal and end up in jail i will leave them there. Until the third day so they can think about it. they know not to call me. the right and wrong line is heavily set.
ok, im done!

I always wanted to take the kids to a Astros game and I was able to get free tickets, thanks to my friend at work. Believe it or not the girls were the only ones who went. The boys stayed home. If the baseball ever hits the yellow chick fil a pole everyone at the stadium gets a free chick fil a. Also everytime the astros get a homerun the train you see moves and blows his whistle. Every friday they have a firework show at the end of the game. It was awesome!! The best I've ever seen! The girls loved it!!

Melbourne Service Project

My boys are awewsome!! Thanks to their dad they know how to refurbish a house!! No one had to give them much direction, they just took off and did what they had to do. Victoria, TX. I got to say hi to my best friend, SIS ARIAS!! I love victoria, I have a street named after me.

B.E.A.T.S.

I am an advisor for a new womans organization! It was my invision from being a student at the college and having to restart college classes over and over because of abuse at home. I looked for assistance and being able to talk with other ladies in my same situation gave me hope and english class papers. The Groups name is Building Each others Achieveents Through Sharing. We share lifes experiences, share our talents and share with the community. It is kind of like YW. The theme song is As Sisters In Zion. Except the first line goes, As Sisters in college we'll all work together...... We are going to have quest speaker teach us about rape prevention and another on come and teach us how to change a tire or oil. We are also going to do crafts like quilting etc. This was our first meeting.

Fernando and Veronica

What can I say, Veronica and Fernando make such a beautiful couple! The wedding was fun, Eddie played the music so felt truly like old times. The only thing that would of made it complete was hearing the cotton eyed joe. I think I heard something like it was Naomis fault.. don't know.... These Houston folks probably wouldn't of ever heard it before. It was so much fun hanging with mom and rosalinda. I got to see angie and shon too. Almost felt like being in Corpus. Rosalinda and mom were glowing in some of these pics, we don't know why. I was the only one that didn't glow. Whats up with that? Dudoo dudoo. (twilight zone theme muic playing)

Poster Boy!

Amalekia has joined SAAB and will be featured on the college website and brochure. The definition of SAAB is as follows. SAAB-This highly structured and organized program targets the conditions facing African American and Latino male college students as well as several retention initiatives and models with emphasis on enhancing the experience for males. More than 160 college and universities in 27 states have established SAAB chapters. I was there when they took the pictures for North Harris. I have worked with this group and truly feel like the SAAB mom. We are a community college in which comes a class of students that are most definately stuggling financially and through some real life challenges. Its a big group and the Advisor even got me to get in on the picture. I didn't include that one. Everyone see my son!! Hes the cute one in middle. :)

SOAR Birthday Bash!

It is always hard to get (SOAR) together for lunch much less an official meeting. We are an active little group that totally enjoys every minute of what we do. We wanted to celebrate our most recent birthdays: Pat , Trina and Sheldon. We made it happen and relaxed and enjoyed eachothers company. Aw! It was a nice retreat. Go! Team! Go!
The second pic will be on our website.

Co-Ed Baby Shower!

Last weekend me, Noemi and Mom went to a co-ed baby shower. It was so so much fun! the guys were more into the games then the ladys. They were competative. Everyone knows the saftey pin game where the ladys can't cross thier legs or another lady can take away their clothes pin. Well, the guys don't cross their legs so they rule set for them was to always drink with their left hand, if you caught them drinking with their right you could take away their clothes pin. The baby shower king took it away from mom and when he was getting ready to put it on his shirt he switches hands and mom took her pin right back. He rejoiced in is victory only about three seconds! Ha! Ha! It was the best baby shower I had ever been to.

Divorce

The ink isn't even dry on our divorce papers and Adolf announced to the kids that he is getting married. Hes known her for five months. He told me as soon as they lift his excommunication and gets baptized a member He will take her to the temple. This is about his third women since our seperation. I cried and cried. Maybe because of feeling the unfairness of it all, the fear of the future, the ugly feeling of having to deal with my kids having another mother and the love i still have for him. But after all the crying, I prayed and this what the spirit whispered to me "This is NOT YOUR SIN quit paying for it! How profound! It was a wake up call, to move forward. Im going to put this on the wall to remind me. I was fighting against all that was taught to me in the gospel. I don't remember any YW lesson that gave me permission to erase my temple covenants if the other was unfaithful or physically harmed you. Blind obedience is my strength and my curse I guess. I was holding on to those covenants cause that is all I knew to do,I didn't have any direction in the church manuals that told me what to do after that. I want everyone to know the difference relatives and friends make with there spiritual insight. I know the blogs are used mainly for happy family memories and this i a little sad but I just thought I would share my spiritual experience.

My oldest-When he was told said thats dumb uve only known her five months and your gonna get married. Ams rejected the invitation to dads wedding. Ams asked me later What kind of lds women wants a excommunicated man. I hadn't thought about it in that way. That is good insight coming from my 19 year old.

Amulek- Had the same reaction as AMS. Adolfo got mad. I think my boys hurt more cause they don't have that daddy figure and they need it. The girls didn't have a quick no reaction.

Angelique is undecided. Amerika isa yes on attending.

Amalekia is doing good in college and has joined like a all guy faternity.Minus all the bad stuff. He loves his classes. I just have to keep him focused on a going on a mission. I knew if he took classes and got involved in NH student activities hes would love it so much that he will have a harder time leaving.

They will meet there step mom for the first time at the wedding ifthey go. Wow! Amerika said he was getting married on a weekday. The wedding is scheduled for the end of this month.

Dentist Visit

In Preperation for a mission, keeping my fingers crossed, Amalekia went to the dentist. He got all four wisdom teeth pulled. The dentist was good, AMS said he didn't feel anything. It took just 30 minutes. I had barely gone to the Nauvoo book store when he called me to pick him up. He had two cavities on his wisdom teeth so we decided we might as well get rid of them all. Amalekia is taking a couple of classes in the fall while he still prepares to go on a mission. He will always be my baby.

Birthday Bash!

Decided to celebrate all the kids birthdays all in one day! We went to Main Event! We stayed 51/2 hours.They played laser tag, bowled and played several arcade games. The price was right and we were all so tired when we got out.