Friday, December 30, 2011

Christmas Eve Festivities

Nanny and Jessa are waiting patiently to start the gingerbread houses.  Well, Nanny was patient anyway!

Weechee decided he was one of the Christmas presents.  He stayed like that for almost an hour.  Such a strange little guy!

Mike got his creative juices flowing by making a simple and easy Brie wheel.  He cut his Christmas tree by  hand and was very proud of it.

Neither Nanny or Papa had ever decorated a gingerbread house.  Mike, Jess and I are practially professional.  We had 5 done before they finished their one, but it was really funny to watch since they couldn't get it to stick together!  They must have put it together at least 6 or 7 times.

 Their final result.

Our Christmas tree was pretty loaded up!

 I'm not really sure why this is out of order but here's Jessica's gingerbread house.  According to Jessa more is always better!

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE CRUZ FAMILY!!

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Photo Shoot Part 2

This one was at the community center.  Not a very photo opportunistic place, but we did our best.

Still turned out cute!

This one is just against a random building downtown.  I think it may have been the side of someone's house, but I'm not really sure.  We whispered so as not to get arrested for treaspasing.

But we were lucky no Ripon cops in sight (a rare occurence to be sure) while we treaspassed!

Same building.  Different part.  Jessica said "Mom it's like a castle wall!"  Kids are so funny!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Photo Shoot Part 1

Saturday Jessica got dressed in her Christmas outfit and we drove around Ripon taking pictures at random spots.  We just needed to get one good picture to send with our Christmas cards and instead we got tons.

Stouffer Park is always a great picture place, but of course Jessica is a beautiful girl and that helps make the scenery even prettier.

I like the red berries in this one.  Very Christmasy!

She was laughing...priceless!

This one is my favorite I think.  The trees are so beautiful they look fake.


It was hard for her to look at the camera for this one because some boys came to the park and of course she had to keep one eye on them.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Shannon turns 30!!!

On Friday December 9, 2011 Shannon turned 30!!  Since Shannon loves to travel so much Connie and I decorated her desk with an around the world theme.
 She got a great book on all the state parks for her birthday.
 Shannon and Kim smile in front of the Christmas tree. 
Happy Birthday Shannon!!!!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Apple Hill

A couple of weekends ago we visited Apple Hill.  It really wasn't everything I'd hoped, BUT that could be because we missed the apples.  The scenery was pretty though.
Mike and Amy amongst the half dead apple trees.

Couldn't get a good picture of the kids because they were restless after 2 1/2 hours in the car and the sun was in their eyes everywhere they stood.

We didn't stay at Apple Hill very long instead we decided to hit Folsom Outlets.  We had a really good time.

What If

Jessica had to write her own version of a Shel Silverstein poem yesterday.
My little girl's poem is pure creative genius.  A must share!


What If


Last night while I lay thinking here,
Some what ifs crawled inside my ear
And pranced and partied all night long
And sang their same old what if song


What if I get a beagle?
What if I get attacked by a seagull?
What if cookies have been made?
What if my cousins are at the arcade?


What if I go to the zoo?
What if I see you there too?
What if I get a Christmas tree?
What if its not full of glee?


What if I fall on a brick?
What if I get a tick?
What if I get hit by a bus?
What if I meet a guy named Gus?


What if I lose all my hair?
What if I see a bear?
What if all these what ifs are true?
What if you have what ifs too?


Everything seems swell and then
The nightime what ifs strike again!

Monday, December 5, 2011

Canopic Jars

Jess recently had to make canopic jars for school.  Oh what fun!
Basically, Mike and I got to devote almost an entire weekend helping her make these.  We had fun doing it but weren't thrilled that she had such a time consuming school project.
I don't know that they are the most beautiful canopic jars ever, but she did get an A
Final result...stunning!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Wonderful Celebration

My birthday celebration was fantastic!!!  The girls decorated my desk in green and yellow (How did they know ;) and footballs!

I got a Packers Bookbag (LOVE IT!), a lanyard and a gift card.

Plus Amy and Connie made me football cupcakes!!!  I went off my diet and I confess I had three.  Ah, what are birthdays for but to live it up?
Now I'm 32!  An oldy but a goody!

Connie's HaPpY bIrThDaY

On Friday November 4, 2011 we celebrated Connie's 28th birthday.

Connie is such a sweet, fun person.  We had lots of fun getting ready for her birthday.

We even made sugar cookies.  Which was really fun because Connie wanted to join in and it was her first time making them.

Monday, November 7, 2011

A Collage of Little Me

Today is my birthday...duh nuh nuh nuh nuh...
So in honor of me turning 32 today I have put together a little random collage of me through my growing up years.  Hope you enjoy!!
First grade.


Awww, little!


6th grade.  It's amazing how in retrospect you can look back and see how goofy you really were, but at the time I thought I was so cool!


Me at 5 years old.  One of my favorite pictures.


Robert and I right before we moved from Hayward to Tracy.

A Collage of Little Me Part 2

Birthday Collage cont'd
I love this series of pictures.  Is it wrong to say that I think I was an adorable little girl?


5th Grade.  Big hair!  Yikes!


My Senior year of High School. 


Crimped hair.  Nice :)


Jr Year of High School

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Happy Halloween!!

Call me lazy, but I'm combining all of our Halloween activities into one post!
 Jess at the pumpkin patch.  She picked a huge pumpkin!

Madison, Jessica and Kayden all looking lovely in their Halloween costumes.

Jessa carving her pumpkin.

Ian killing it during the Hula Hooping contest!

Here the kids are trying to find their piece of bubble gum in the whip cream so they can be the first to blow a bubble.  Super funny!

My desk on Halloween.  Amy said it was a shrine to Halloween.  Not really a shrine.  I just love Halloween!

 Miss Janice was the Queen.  "Off with her head" was the theme of the day.

 Connie was little Red Riding Hood.

Amy dressed as a nerd.  It was too funny.   Here the two of us are together.
Here we all are together.  Including Diann who was a hillbilly girl.  (Chris is not pictured, she was a kitty kat, but Service was so busy she couldn't get away)

Here's the gang ready to hit the streets.  Jessica, Stephy, Eddy and Andy the Triceratops (sp)

Jessica was the Mad Hatter.  Crazy girl!