****SNOWY DAYS****

This was after one of our big snow storms that we had. Actually it was a couple of days after cuz some of the snow was already melted. We also love to decorate the house with lights for Christmas. This is our favorite time of the year!!

Jumping on the tramp with all the SNOW!!

Andres was making a snow angel. I thought it was so cold and was just enjoying watching them play from inside the house. Andres and Benett had a blast!!

We love the snow!! Andres and his friend Benett enjoying the cold and playing in the snow. They were sliding down the slide into the snow and laughing there heads off. It was so cute!

This was a "classic." Andres was so afraid of Santa. This was at Chad's family Christmas party on his Mom's side. We had alot of parties for the month of Dec. I have to say they were all fun and it's always good times seeing cousins and Aunts and Uncles and grandparents that we haven't seen for quite awhile. Good times!!

GINGERBREAD HOUSE MAKING

The boys were so excited to make their gingerbread house. Izabel wanted to help out so bad but the boys complained that all she would do was eat the candy, what a smart girl. I probably would have too.

This was alot of fun. The boys did there yearly gingrbread house decorating. They finally finished it and it turned out very nice! Way to go BOYS!!!

CHRISTMAS PARTY

We had our Christmas party this year at my sisters house, Sylvia. We had alot of fun. They did a new thing this year and asked us all to wear funny shirts and some of us did and others did not. I thought it was a pretty good idea. Santa came and visited us and we also got to celebrate my brother Pablo's birthday that day as well. Sylvia did a great job at hosting the party! We ate alot of yummy foods and I probably gained 5 lbs. or so.

Thanks Sylvia and Ryan and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Izabel sitting on Santas lap. She was just enjoying it, can't you tell.

This is my sister Sylvia and sis in law Claudia. There were only a few of us who got the memo on wearing funny clothes. Claudia looks gorgeous as ever.

Here the kids are enjoying there gift xchanging game. I totally forgot about it and so thanks to my brother and sister in law, who gave us there older kids gifts. It was alot of fun. Thanks again you guys for saving us.

Here is Chad with his funny t-shirt on.

This the Christmas party at Sylvia's house. Here is the family with Santa. Andres was so afraid of him that he had to be the furthest away from him as possible. The kids all got there Christmas PJ's. If you are wondering why Chad has on that ugly t- shirt I made and I have on the most ridiculous sweater (you can't really see it) , that's because my sister and her husband wanted everyone to wear a funny sweater or shirt for their party. That was the best I could do. There's was much funnier!!

NEW YORK CITY "GIRLS TRIP"

aHHH, the long awaited girls trip to NYC finally came!! I had the most wonderful opportunity to go to NY with my sister in law Anne, and her 2 sisters Susan and Kate. We had a blast !! Our hotel was the Marriot right there in the middle radio city Hall. We saw the tree at rockefeller center and the big sworvoski star on the top and we saw 2 shows, Wicked and White Christmas. We did alot of shopping and eating and we rode on the subway! We were total official New Yorkers with our wool coats and scarves and my hat! To bad the guy turned his head when the picture took. Oh well. We loved it and I will definately go back to visit again.

Ok, I look totally dorkee but look, I was enjoying my vacation. :D

The Statue of Liberty. Here is a better picture of it that I have. This was when we were on the boat getting closer to the Statue.

Here we all 4 are on the Statue of Liberty. As you see it was a cold day, but fun day!!

We took the fairy across the way and went and saw the statue of Liberty. I can't figure out how to fix the picture on here so I guess it will have to stay sideways. It's kind of neat how the whole thing is made of copper. I did not know that, maybe you did, but I did not. It was originally in Spain and then they transferred it to NY. Or something like that. At her feet there are chains. This was so fun and neat to see. We got to go to the top which is just under her feet and there is a walk out in the outdoors and you can look out and take pics. It was awesome and very cold!!

This was us at a show called "WICKED" and I have to say that it was the best show ever!!! We had bought these M&M bonoculars at the M&M store to see if they really worked, and they did. We were not that far back, ok the last row, but the way it was all set up you could see and hear everything well. We just thought they were cool and we were cool. It was fun!! I guess a kind of fun when your normal fun is home with the kids all day!! Are you moms with me. It was a blast!! LOVED IT!!

This is a memorial wall of the firefighters that lost their lives from 9-11. Just to see the ground zero was unbelievable. There were still buildings with burn marks up along them and windows broken out and all the reconstruction going on. It was a really unbelievable sight. It brought me back to that date and exactly where I was at and how I saw it all over the news that morining getting ready for work. It was surreal.

This is a picture of a cathedral there were they say alot of stars get married in. The building is just beautiful and then all the tall buildings that surround it. There were alot of these tall beuatiful buildings all over.

This was us at a restaurant with the best chocolate ever!!! It was in Little Italy, I can't remember the name but we met Anne's Aunt and Uncle who are serving a mission in NY. We had a great time and some of the greatest food!!

This was a picture in NY of downtown in Radio City Hall. This was a very busy place at all times of the day. We did alot of walking and always got back home alive . I say that because the drivers there were crazy. The taxi drivers have the right away always there. I felt much safer on the subway.

THANSGIVING 2008

This was our year to host the Thanksgiving dinner, and I was stressed out about making everything would come together for all that were coming, and to be honest, it all worked out very well. We all had a great time and shared lots of laughs and we enjoyed the time together. This of course was a picture of before the company arrived. We really do have family. Chad was a good sport in letting me take a picture of him here.

I love being with my true best friends, my sisters of course. This is Liza, Sylvia, and then her 2 kids Jaron, and Aryanna, and how can I forget my beautiful princess, Izabel!!!

We have a family tradition for our birthdays, and I think some may think it is a horrible thing to do, but we Martinez's really enjoy it. Whitney was also turning the big 16 Yrs. of age and so my brother David suprised her and smeared coolwhip all over her face!! It was great! Happy B-day Whit!!!

Family members at our house for Thanksgiving. We had a great time together and ate LOTS!!!!