Christmas time traditions

Christmas holds many traditions in our family. I love traditions and hope that I am making some for my family that they will pass on to their children as they make traditions of their own. While growing up we put the tree up on mom's birthday, Dec. 11. I liked that because it wasn't to early and still time to enjoy. Another thing we did was bake!! Dad would make Grandma Bilgrens frying pan fudge, popcorn balls, and pumpkin pie. We also made turtle cookies ( these were made all year) We would open one present on Christmas Eve, usually one by our grandparents or Jo and Gary. On Christmas day we could open our stockings but weren't allowed to touch the presents until mom and dad got up. When they were up dad would hand out the presents to each of us and we would open them one at a time. I liked this tradition and have passed it down to my family. I think it beats just ripping into the presents. Its taking the time to see what was given. Another tradition we had was driving around town to see the Christmas lights. One of my favorite parts of town was when one neighborhood would put up all the luminaries. It was beautiful. Card playing has always been a big tradition in our family, and not just at the holidays. Many a times I had friends that I would invite to a card party and they would ask if my dad was going to be there, because if he wasn't they didn't want to come! LOL We played spoons one night and almost threw someone down the basement stairs (thus making a rule that the door to the basement must stay closed at all times during card games. hehe) and we started mom's remodeling of the dining room by putting a hole in the wall. We just really wanted to help her out, get her a good start! Coal and nuts received meant that you were not very nice that year. One year while in California for Christmas dad got a bunch of nuts and I think it was MaryEllen that asked if dad was bad!! But somehow nuts and oranges always made it into our stockings, I don't recall when receiving nuts became a good thing!!!

Christmases weren't always without their rocky starts or ends. It was harder as we got older wanting to be more with friends. How little we valued our family, thank goodness we have grown and recognized the value in them. As I started to have my family I realized that there are a lot of stresses involved in Christmas. From the extra money needed for gifts and parties, lack of work due to the weather, long distances from family etc. etc. I wanted and needed to be free of these stresses. That is kinda hard to do, and often I would feel like my family was missing out because of a choice I had made. I can say that not all my choices have been the best, but I know I am trying and I know my kids know I am trying to teach them that Christmas is not about all the hoop-a-la, presents, santa, etc. etc. but it is about our Savior, Jesus Christ and His birth. Our older Brother and what gifts he has given to us, what we can share with others. As this Christmas season approaches I hope that one tradition my kids will remember is that they feel the love of their Savior and Heavenly Father. That they will remember His birth and draw closer to Him, and emulate Him in their lives. That not only they take the time now to remember and reflect but that all the time is the time to remember. To emulate Him throughout the year throughout their lives. In the midst of everything there is hope, love and joy through Him our Savior Jesus Christ.

My other artist

This is one of the art pieces that is being sent to a local art shop for an art fair. The art will be up for sale. Gab is really excited about it, she hopes it sells and makes her some money!!!

chavez girls

Fall pics

trunk or treating

The kids had such a good time getting ready and dressing up for the ward trunk or treat! What's up with the green hair? Everyone wanted some! The weather was nice, not to cold. it felt like Christmas morning where the kids could not wait for the party to begin. They were changing costumes and putting on makeup by noon! At least it took the edge off of having to wait for Halloween.

Halloween night everyone was pretty much the same, except Alex was now the Thing, and Genaro a ninja. Oh and everyone had pink and green hair! We hit Taco Bell's free black taco night! Yum yum! After the kids finished trick or treating they hunkered down at home while Genaro and i went to a friends birthday party. We had so much fun, we played the Wii for the first time! So nice to get out by ourselves and have some adult time!

SWIMMING

Well swim season is again upon us! These were taken at Gab's first meet! It is a bunch of relay races between a few different schools. Gab's breast/butterfly relay took first place! She also swam a freestyle relay in which they took second. It was so close, almost hard to tell who touched first. Gab said that she lost by .01 seconds. Bummer. This year she is swimming a number of different races, which is good because last year it was butterfly only. Of course this year too has been a majority of butterfly she has also had the opportunity to swim back and breast as well. The competition is getting harder!

Gabby all over again!

When Gabby was about 9 months, my mom and sister made two adorable outfits for her. When we went to California I took them with us and we have pictures of her sitting in Uncle Bill and Aunt Pat's back yard. In one of them she looks like a china doll! I let my sister in law borrow them to take some pictures of Ashley, and when Genaro saw her his exact words were, "it's Gabby"

Ashley is 6 months here, and they fit her perfectly, Gab was 9 months the first time she wore them!!

Doesn't she look cute!

family fun

No mom, I'm not hiding anything!!!

The girls, a rare moment when they are smiling and happy!!

I am not listening!

I usually put a yogurt on my head to see how long I can balance it!!

The missionaries usually stop by on Sunday evenings to visit and share a message. They introduced the kids to a game called scripture baseball. Little Genaro runs for his scriptures whenever they arrive to play this game!

Jesus and Ashley

We really enjoy having a baby in the home. When we are done with her we can give her back to her mommy!!! HeHe

Jesus and Ashley enjoy each others company! He is always picking her up and tickling her and making her laugh!

Ashley makes the funniest faces!
She loves putting her fingers in her mouth, but has not discovered other peoples mouths, thank goodness!!!

My artist!

Carmen is my little artist. She loves to doodle. Most of her pictures are of people. Here she is showing off the picture that she drew, compared to the one in the book!

first snow!

Isn't it beautiful! October 10th was our first snowfall! It was a heavy snow, and just hung on the trees! It didn't last long and was melted by the next day! My brother in laws car.
Our little Colorado Blue Spruce, weighted in snow!

Roly's deer!!!

October 2 -4th was a special hunt in a few areas of Nebraska. It was for antlerless deer. We discovered the week before the hunt that Rojelio was eligible to hunt (we had previously thought that he had to be 12, but found out it was 10!) So a few days before the hunt, his dad asked if he wanted to go. The weather was nice for them. They went out early in the afternoon and right before coming home the deer made their entrance.

Roly shot first and then Genaro right after him. One of the deer feel into a creek and Genaro had to go in after it. He pulled a muscle in his back while doing it but didn't realize until they started driving home. Needless to say, Papa was hurting when he got home, but that did not stop them from going out the next day with a family friend. Neither Rojelio nor Genaro got another deer but the friend did. They were excited for him because this was his first deer too!! Roly's only complaint was that he was hungry!

Feeding Time!!!!!!!!!!

hmmm rice cereal!! Look I can eat it myself!!
I really didn't want help Tia!
hmmm looked better on the box!
I really don't want this.........
No thanks, no more!
ewwww ............ yuck!!!!!

Sunday drive

We just had to get out of the house Sunday. All weekend we have had a house full of sickos! There is this tower just off of I680 going toward Iowa. We have never been there so we thought that is where we would go. It was not a hard climb at all, and when you got to the top you could see for miles. It was rather pretty. We didn't stay to long just long enough to get all the jitters out and then headed back home!

Happy '10" Birthday Carmen

Carmen turned 10 on Aug. 25! We bbq'd and she had a few friends over to spend the night. Carmen found a butterfly cake pan at a garage sale earlier this year and so we made that for her. I decorated one of the butterflies and she and her friends decorated the other! They had a great time! Happy Birthday my little artist!