Jesus the Christ

I'm almost finished reading this beautiful detailed depiction of the Savior's life: Jesus the Christ. I am deeply moved by His great sacrifice for us. I can't even begin to comprehend the magnitude of what He suffered throughout His life, in the Garden of Gethsemane, with the humiliation and degradation of an unjust and illegal trial, and finally to die in the most barbaric manner is history: to be crucified. He died for all sinners even the ones who persecuted Him, rejected Him, and even betrayed Him. How deeply saddened He must have been to be so harshly judged and mistreated by His own and especially by one of His chosen twelve. Before reading his book, I didn't fully understand our Lord's great atoning sacrifice. To read in detail of what he suffered gave me a greater appreciation for what He did for me, for all of us, for all mankind. Even as I write this I feel so deeply moved, so deeply loved by my Savior. My heart is full. In a world of so much evil and sadness, I know there is good. I know the adversary will not prevail. Our Savior Jesus Christ made it possible for us to escape his awful chains. He gave us His light. He gave us hope. He gave us peace. He taught us how to forgive and to love unconditionally. I truly love my Savior Jesus Christ will all my heart and soul. He has truly lifted me up in my darkest hours. I know I can be perfected through Him because He atoned for my sins and has felt all my pains. I hope that I will one day be worthy to be in His presence. I hope that during this Christmas season we can all remember what we are celebrating: the miracle of our Savior's birth. He is truly my saving grace. Merry Christmas to all of you!!

T's gymnastic meets

This has been a very exciting season for T and her team. She's participated in 3 out of 5 meets so far. Her last meet of the season is this Saturday, and then she'll do sectionals the end of the month and possibly go to state championships after that. We are so proud of her. Her team has scored 1st place in all of the meets accept one. The girls are quite exceptional in their skills. At this last meet the girls competed at Team OC in Costa Mesa. I think there were 8 teams that competed. Again, GymJam came in first place. T also scored 4 medals, 1st place on Beam, 10th place on uneven bars, 11th place on floor, and 11th place all around. She was beaming ear to ear. Of course her parents were too! It was very exciting. Here are some pictures of the last few meets she's participated in. I lost my camera for the Costa Mesa meet, so I wasn't able to take still shots. I do have video footage though. Hopefully, next time I'll post a video of our little gymnast. Sorry for the fuzzy photos. She was moving around a lot so it was hard to get a good shot.

First Day of School!!

I can't believe it. The summer is over! At least for us. T and A started school today after an 8 week break. Summer went by too fast. Probably because we had so much fun!! T started 5th grade today, and A started 1st grade. Every year is hard for me because I see how quickly my children are growing up. Even so, they are becoming quite exceptional little people. I'm so proud of them. We are also blessed to have our children go to such a great school. Both of them have excellent teachers this year. A has Mrs. Halverson who attends our church. She is fantastic and so good with the kids. T says her teacher Mrs. Mazzaro is really young and funny. I think it's going to be a great year!!!

Beach Days in Santa Monica!!

This is why I love this ward!! Great people. Great friends.

Creswell Family Reunion

This was our first official Creswell Family Reunion! We had a great time. The only sad part was that my sister Emilie missed it and R could only attend the very last day. AND it went by too quickly!! The kids and I arrived on Wednesday along with my brother Brandon and his family and Maren and her babies. It was fun to see the cousins reunite. Later, they went for a quick dip in the lake and enjoyed some paddle boat time. Later that night grandpa and grandma arrived! The next day, the kids enjoyed some crafts that grandma had prepared. One craft they made was a cucumber boat. The cucumbers were cut in half and the kids scrapped out all the "gutts" and attached sails at the end. Then we all walked to the "head of the ditch" and they dropped their boats into the water that raced down the mountain and headed for the lake. Next up was a trip to Idaho City where the kids enjoyed some icecream and spending their allowance at the local souvenire shop. Later on, more swimming, eating, and relaxing. Oh, the good life!! Oh, and let's not forget my run/bike ride with brother Brandon. He rode, I ran. Up and down the mountainside. It was beautiful! Definitely a challenging workout for both. That night Joe and his wifey and little Shadrach arrived. The next morning, I stole him out of his crib (awake of course) and snuggled, chewed, and kissed him to bits. Then we all headed to the water park in Meridian. We all took shifts watching babies and then going on the waterslides. Good fun. Later on, I picked up R from the airport while everyone headed back up the mountain. The next day, half the gang went to the temple while the rest stayed back and chilled. In the afternoon, my dad lead a game called Over the Line which is similar to baseball. My kids loved it! Sadly, they've never been exposed to baseball before. But, this was the ticket! Before coming home grandpa gave them gloves and balls to practice with, and T used some of her b-day money to buy a bat. After the b-ball game, we ate dinner and then canoe racing time! We used a canoe for the "singles" racing and then Brandon's kayak for the "couples." Brandon and Staci went first. They had to paddle out into the middle of the lake around a raft and then back to the dock. It was a timed race. R and I were next. I am extremely competitive, but necessarily skilled when it comes to boat racing. Anyway, R and I did not have very good coordination paddling on the kayak. We were halfway to the raft when my fierce paddling flipped the kayak over and spilled R and I into the water! I was in my pajamas! And I don't like swimming in lakes! Needless to say, it was quite a shock and I felt like I was swimming in slow motion back to the dock. My pajama pants were pulling me down and slipping off my legs. Of course, everyone else on land was laughing hysterically. Even though R was wet, I guess he wasn't done. He recruited my sister Leah to try the race one more time with him. Unbeknownst to her, he had another plan in mind.:) After they swiftly rounded the raft and started heading back to the dock R started swaying the kayak back and forth and flipped it over AGAIN sending Leah into the water as well! (FYI no one was in bathing suits). She was a good sport. Again lots of laughter from everyone on the dock. Next up, Joe. He was still in the cabin, so we called him down, paired him with R and they both went through the motions of the race. Once again R tipped the kayak to the side and in went Joe! He didn't seem too surprised so I'm thinking he expected it. Anyway, single canoe races were next. Brandon came in first and I in second:( Leah fought so vigorously to get back to the dock that she tipped her canoe into the water and ended up soaked a second time. It was a great way to end the reunion. I'm sure nobody will forget the canoe races. The next day we packed up and headed back home. Our time at the cabin went by way too fast. But I think the goal was achieved. We had a wonderful time as an extended family. Lots of laughter, bonding, fun, memories, relaxation, excitement,....mission accomplished!!

T is ten!!

I know it's getting old me saying this but, my kids are growing up way too fast!! I can't believe that my oldest is ten years old today. I remember when she was born and what a beautiful little girl she was. She was mostly bald except for a mohawk of hair that grew straight up on the crown of her head. It was so cute! I remember holding her and thinking, she's mine! I'm her mother. What a sweet feeling that was, and still is. T is growing into such a special young lady. She's honest, loyal, kind, thoughtful, diligent, respectful, creative, physically strong (gymnastics!), soft spoken, spiritual, beautiful, loving, empathetic, intuitive, smart, etc., etc! The list goes on and on...Today was a great day. The party basically started last night. T, R, and A camped out in the backyard after we roasted marshmellows in our portable fire pit. I of course, opted out of sleeping in a tent and instead enjoyed a nice sleep in my own bed. T ate Lucky Charms and green orange juice for breakfast, which she had requested. Later on, we headed to the Aquatics Center, which is a few minutes from our house. There, the kids got to experience their first jump off a diving board. T did the low and the high jumps. A just stuck with the low diving board. But, I was still impressed that he did it at all. They first had to pass a swimming test before they got to jump. I knew T would pass; no problem. But, I was pretty impressed when A passed as well. He was also pretty pleased with himself. A few hours later we headed back home for cake and presents. T requested strawberry shortcake. Soooo good! For gifts, she got some shirts from Justice, markers, hair bands, red licorice, money, a climbing harness from grandma and grandpa and....a beach cruiser! I spent a lot of time researching this bike until I found the right one. I think T will get a lot of years out of this. Anyway, she better. I told her that her bike costs more than mine, R's, and A's put together. But, it was worth every penny to see the smile on her face. R took her and A for a bike ride while I went to work and when they got back R told me T kept saying, "I love this bike. It's so comfortable." Happy Birthday Baby Girl! We love you so much!!

Camp Pendleton Mud Run

This past weekend my family and I drove down to Camp Pendleton for me to race in the Mud Run. It was a total blast! I loved every minute of it. OK, waking up at 4:30 am was the only bad part, but the rest was amazing. We arrived at the gate at 6, parked, and then boarded a bus to the starting line. There I met one of my "bootcampers" Annabeth. She was a little nervous, since this was her first race experience. But once we started the course, I think she was really focused and ready. Right off the bat two huge water trucks sprayed the runners with tons of water. Throughout the course we encountered muddy river crossings, lots of hills, high walls to climb over, and mud pits. There was also a lake we had to cross. The water came all the way up to your neck! Crazy!!! Before the finish line we had to crawl through a muddy pit, with marines screaming at everyone (Now that's real bootcamp!:). That's where all the crowds of people were gathered to watch. All the runners were covered from head to toe with thick stinky mud. All 4 thousand of us. It was so much fun! I can't say that enough. I've run many races and this one is by far the most fun. It was still challenging though; don't get me wrong about that. You feel quite accomplished at the end. I was especially proud of Annabeth because she wasn't sure if she would finish. And she did!! Way to go girl! I told her, this is just the beginning. Next year I hope to get more people to sign up. When you finish a race like that it's truly euphoric, and I just want everyone to have this kind of experience. It was also quite inspiring to see a 12 year old boy running and a 75+ year old lady running! It's never too late, or too early, to achieve optimal health and fitness. It's not just about looking good, it's about feeling good and being healthy, pushing your body to do something challenging. It's about doing something you thought you could never do. The sky is the limit!! Hope you all can run with me next year and be my muddy buddies!!

Keepin cool on a hot hot day!!

It has been very hot here the past few weeks. I'm guessing in the 90's. Since our dog doesn't have the luxury of going swimming at the pool, I usually hose him down once a day. He LOVES the water. It's fun to watch him jump through the air while biting at the water. Before I turned the hose off I filled up this aluminum tub with water for him to play in. I didn't think he'd actually get in a sit down! So cute!!!!

A is 6 today!

I told my little boy that I was not happy he was turing 6. I've said that every year since he turned 2, I think. The truth is...he's grown up sooooo fast. Next year he starts 1st grade! Where has my baby gone? Here is the spotlight I wrote that was read in primary today:

"We love our A... He has been a very happy and active child since the day he was born. Literally. The child never napped and barely slept a wink at night! Always a ball of energy. A loves to sing and dance. He's pure entertainment to his family and whoever else crosses his path. A loves going to kindergarten and enjoys playing with all of his friends there, who are also his friends at church. A is also a very good swimmer and enjoys doing canon balls into his community pool. He is also a great reader and loves to read all by himself. A really loves and looks up to his big sister, T. Whever he's out shopping with mom, he always looks for things to buy for her. A is also a snuggler and likes to have "cuddle parties" with his mom in her bed. He is a good helper around the house and especially enjoys playing with his new dog Tonka. A is a very special child of God and his family loves him sooooooo much!"

A has enjoyed a week of celebration. He was the "star of the week" at school and got to share a special stuffed animal every day at school. He also brought in his favorite book to share along with some treats to share with the class. On Saturday he enjoyed a party with his closest friends at Chuck E Cheese. I really wanted his party at the pool this year, but they are all currently closed for various reasons. I even tried to talk him into doing a party at our house, but he really wanted Chuck E Cheese....again. The first time was for his 4th birthday. Anyway, like last time, he and his friends had a great time. I feel truly blessed that A has made some real special friends here. He truly feels loved. Today, he picked pancakes for breakfast and opened a gift from his sister before we all went to church. Grandma and Grandpa Garcia were also here to celebrate his big day. After church, we had a barbecue, then cake and presents. A great day! Thank you all who have loved our special boy.

Utah/Easter 2009

So the kids and I had a pretty good trip to Utah. R stayed back to work and deal with our doggie's upset tummy.:) We carpooled with my good friend Mindy and her kids. It was a fun drive. As always, Mindy and I had lots to talk about between the many potty stops, and while attending to five chronically hungry and bored kids. Once in Utah I first got to see my adorable little nephew Shadrach, also known as "Shad." I couldn't stop kissing his loveable cheeks. My kids also enjoyed fighting over him. I was happy to see that my brother and his wife moved from their tiny BYU basement apartment to a tiny apartment upstairs. Oh, basement apartment living....brings back my own blissful memories! The bugs, the mold, the water heater that took up half the apartment, the weird neighbors upstairs, etc. etc. Good times! Moving on...... After visiting my little bro my cousin picked me and the kiddies up and drove us to Bountiful where my mama and papa live. Thanks Heather. I also got to see her little beautiful cherub, Olivia. The kids and I stayed in Bountiful for the rest of the week. The first day was my kid's favorite. They got to watch two session of conference!!! Needless to say they were bored out of their minds and reminded me every 5 minutes of their plight. I gave them a break on Sunday and let them watch "Bolt" instead. Meanwhile I got to attend the afternoon session in Salt Lake City with my parents and siblings. It was wonderful. I loved listening to the messages from our church leaders live. And of course hearing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing was icing on the cake. The rest of the week the kids and I went on several fun excersions: bowling, rollerskating, attending Aunt Me Me's softball game, visiting Aunt Me Me at work and eating all the snacks out of her break room, playing ping pong with Aunt Me Me, going to see Monsters vs. Aliens (not my fav.), going to see Hannah Montana the Movie ( Love it!!!!!), eating lots of sinful food, and just hangin' with the folks. T also got some quality time with her BFF Erin as well at the end of the week. Anyway, time flew by so fast as it always does when I visit my family in Utah. They are the best and I love them so much. They are truly my favorite people to hang out with. What a blessing it is that I like them so much! ...... I've also attached an Easter morning photo of my kids. We returned the night before Easter so we could be with R and his family. Doggy and Daddy were very happy to see us again!