Party Time!

Today we took Denny to a Birthday party at McDonalds for his cousin ( my nephew) Nicholas whom he met for the first time. My sister Nicole(whom I haven't seen for years but we keep in touch through Facebook) lives in the US and she came over for the summer and I finally got to meet my 3 handsome nephews for the first time and saw some other relatives .
This was a first meeting for my hubby too.. Denny's first party invite. So this was an exciting time for all of us.. Well ..more so for Denny...because this was kiddie territory. Denny had some temper tantrums and was acting out a bit(fussing over balloons with the other kids)..I don't know....maybe he was a bit overwhelmed.. eventually he warmed up..Other than that it was a great day for all of us!

Here are some pics of the day in no particular order...
Daddy fixing Denny's shoes

More family
Above
Meeting my cousin Lynette for the first time
My cousin Lynette's daughter with my nephew

My sister and I

Just me

My Nephew(sharing out his cake)

Denny and his Auntie Nicole

Birthday Boy Nicholas

Denny and his cousin

Holding the hunnies...Denny and my nephew Jibade

How cute is he?

My last adorable nephew Hector..

Denny Divine

Just thought I 'd share just how special Jesus is to Denison. When he saw this picture on the wall at my work, he got so excited and kissed it numerous of times.. I just had to get a shot of it.. I just thought it was so sweet and special. He knows that Jesus is somebody special who deserves lots of kisses even though he has never met him.. Isn't that just Divine!!? I love my lil angel more and more each day...It is great to know that the seeds of love and reecognition of Christ are already starting to harvest inside him..A true Child of God!

Da Daddy Deal Day

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

WE LOVE YOU!

Mission: To treat Walter like a king..

I MADE HIM A YUMMY HOME-COOKED MEAL

Menu:

STEAK,BBQ- CHICKEN, YELLOW-JASMINE RICE WITH CORN PLANTAINS AND COLESLAW

Dessert:

Surprised him with a special favorite:

A WHOLE HOMEMADE BANANA CREAM PIE...YUM!!

AND A

CUTE GOODY BAG FILLED WITH SNACKS AND CARDS TELLING HIM HOW MUCH HE MEANS TO US!

and how can I forget a truckload of

Hugs and Kisses!

Mission accomplished!

Were back!

So unfortunately..we are back from Florida! We had a great time...almost forget we had to come home! Going through the airport was crazy!!!..it was from running late- to returning the rental-rushing through check-in and customs..almost missing our flight-my $18 dollar sulfate-free shampoo getting confiscated..(I was so upset.....sadly Walter had forgotten to pack it in the checked in luggage.. Now some chick is probably using my shampoo...urggh..Darn 9/11 precautions..oh well!!This is this first time traveling as a family..and it was hard.We definitely took note of the do's and don'ts for next time. When we landed it was a quick reality check and a hard pill to swallow... All in all, it was a great flight(Denny's stayed awake this time) and at least we are home safe ...but man getaways are so great! We can't wait to go back again!

Happy Birthday Babe!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE ONLY BOY I WANNA KISS
TO MY SWEETHEART: WALTER!

I LOVE YOU BUNCHES!

I'm looking forward to celebrating this and many more days with you. May the Lord continue to prosper you my darling. Muahhhhh!!

Toys R US Kid

"I don't want to grow up, I'm a Toys R US kid!" I totally understand why they chose this phrase because it encompasses all of what you feel when you enter this store. Today, Walter and I decided to visit the store to find something for Denny. This was a culminating moment for us as parents and we realized that this would soon be a regular stop for us. I wanted to pick up Denny to carry him with us but based on the advice of my hubby, he thought it would be wiser for us to go without Denny to avoid tantrums and overspending. I was in total agreement because seeing him cry would make us weak and then we would give in...but we don't want to raise him to be a spoiled brat...so we are avoiding certain situations and learning to be firm but still loving. The crazy thing is that I was still weak without him...We were just so fascinated with the huge selection. We even felt like kids again..lol! In my head I was already planning gifts for Christmas, his 2nd birthday, his big boy bedroom and beyond. Walter had to bring me back to earth because I was just so gone. To make this story shorter, we spent about 2 plus hours in there and it was hard to leave but our budget was tight so we knew we had to quit because we had an appointment to catch . So we ended up buying two "Elmo" toys..one was shake up laughing Elmo and the next was a giggle camera. Denny seems like he warming up to the toy but now I'm a bit confused. After reading the reviews on the camera... I'm kind of concerned about whether it was a good choice for our son. The concern basically comes from some of the phrases Elmo says which some say is too "adult" such as..."Give it to Elmo-Ya baby! -Work it baby.. work it!" The kind of things you would hear in an adult photo shoot... When we first heard it..it seemed too cute but now I'm feeling a bit guilty or am I being too uptight? Boy oh boy.. There is so much to worry about...I love parenting but it is tough!

Special Sunday

I just thought I would share a piece of the day with you that stands out in heart. My faith increases more by the minute that convinces me everyday that the Savior Jesus Christ loves us. The gospel is by far the best thing in my my life and it has brought me so much happiness even through trials.

We had the opportunity to attend church today. It was fast and testimony Sunday and the spirit was so present in the room. It was wonderful! Seeing so many seemingly happy families come together has made me feel all fuzzy inside. It is such a wonderful plan that Heavenly Father has for us ..how could we not want to be a part of it because you can't deny what the gospel makes you see and feel.

The special highlights of the day were:

1. Just being alive to spend this Sunday together with my family.

2. Denny made me so happy and proud when we walked in the RS room and he recognized the picture of Jesus and just had to point it out and say..' Mamma..Jesus!" All I could do was hug and kiss him because I was just so grateful. This isn't the first time he has pointed out a picture of Jesus on the wall but I was just so surprised and shocked that of all the different settings and styles he could still recognize Jesus and I don't recall showing him all of them.

It doesn't matter if that we don't know what he (Jesus Christ) really looks like but how the idea of him makes us feel. If a 16 month old can already sense how special that is ...what more proof do we need? It feels so great to watch Denison grow and learn about the gospel and life. He is just such a wonderful child! I know with the guiding hand of Our Heavenly Father and in our efforts to do what is right concerning our responsibilities to teach him..Denison is headed in the right direction. He already knows how to fold his arms when we tell him its is time to pray and he repeats word for word the prayer.. How sweet is that?

(The picture of Jesus that I'm referring to is the one above)

3. The Relief Society lesson was so uplifting. It was on Gossip. With all the input by the sisters, it was a refreshing wake up call and a interesting perspective on gossip. I learned so much about how destructive it was and how so many little things we do which may seem harmless are forms of gossip... Many times just a simple conversation about yourself that leans into indirect info about others are just a poison. I am very grateful to have been present for this lesson because it makes you more aware and sensitive to information that may come your way directly or indirectly. I made a promise to myself that I would not take part in any form of gossip. When I left the class I felt like a whole new person.