Thanksgiving

We had a very busy Thanksgiving, it was not supposed to be like that. I had cooked turkey some weeks ago, and the kids were not so crazy about it, so I decided to have pizza, not just pizza, it was going to be pizza with cheese in the crust, the kids really like this type of pizza.

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The plan was to just stay home, play board games, video games, go for a walk then eat diner, pizza, pumpkin pie,drink egg nog and maybe watch a movie.


The pizza store didn't answer the telephone and I thought it was closed, so I started to make my own pizza, I did not have tomatoes for the sauce, I had to go buy some.

While I made the dough and the sauce, the kids were playing video games. Then went for the walk to Nolan Trail, the weather was so nice, that the kids wore short pants. we were not the only ones out there, many other families were walking and enjoying the beautiful day.

Then a friend called me and invited me to go to her friend's church dinner. We accepted the invitation of this dinner, that was happening in 2 more hours, we had to hurry back to the car, went home, and got ready, I could have said no, but I said yes, and now here I was in a mad rush, the day I had planned to just take it easy.

I'm so glad we went to this dinner the food was delicious, and the people were so nice. Most of them were Spanish speaking, from Dominican Republic. The kids teamed up with other kids and had a good time running around the church, playing hide and seek, "exploring" the building and hiding from grown ups.

This was a day to give thanks for our blessings. I have so many, I don't know were to start. I'm thankful for my kids, I feel so privileged that God has given me the opportunity to see them grow and guide them. I'm thankful, for my family, my church, my friends, my peaceful home...














And I really what to show off this card that a friend sent us. They call us good people? I'm truly blessed!

We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds. Psalm 75:1

Christmas Decoration

This is the time the kids were waiting for!







We didn't put the Christmas tree before, because we were having my daughter's birthday party and we thought that was silly to have a Christmas tree on her party, but the day before Thanksgiving we started to decorate the house for Christmas.





This angel was left by one of my ex roommates.




M. Pagan: If you happen to read this post, I still have it!! We put it on top of the tree every Christmas since you left.

Oreo spent some time barking to this nativity set, it was pretty funny! She is really protective! We put this set in our front yard. I got the stuff from the attic, then I just sat around taking pictures. These kids did all the job, I just kept taking it into my heart, watching them so into Christmas.

I like crafts and for Christmas I really like to put decoration in harmony, not just trow them in. Some years ago I saw a show in TV, where a family was so upset, because the mom was all about perfection in the decoration for Christmas, so I asked the kids if they would like to just trow things here in there and their answer was: No!! mooomm!! We like it neat, matching, it has to be perfect, so it looks cool, the best tree in the world!! This made me so happy!

Ida in Love with Hampton Roads

Ida visited Hampton Roads and decided to just hang around and pour water until we were all flooded. We stayed home doing school, and watched the wind blow leafs all over the place from our window. Then the lights started to blink and we lost power. The kids got a little scared, but it was only our street without power, we could see the rest of the neighborhood with their lights on. I told them that the power crew will come soon and fix it. I went to sleep and was sure that I was going to have power when I wake up the next day.We woke up and there was no power. Our stove is electrical and without power the microwave and refrigerator weren't working. Now, I'm scared, how will I warm my coffee water! and what will happen if they don't fix it today? All my food in the fridge will go bad. I thought this was a good day to be in denial and got ready to go to Barnes and Noble to look at shiny magazines with cool pictures.When we drove a couple of blocks, there was a big tree blocking the way. We were amazed how it fall in the road instead of the house and seemed that nobody was going by at the time it fall down. Thank God nobody was hurt. The kids ask me to go back home and get the camera to take pictures of it. Then we went around taking pictures of our wet city. When we came back the road was clear and the power was back. This happened Friday, but some people didn't get power until Sunday.
We took many pictures, this are some that I thought were good. The trees looked as if they were burning.

Sandy Bottom Nature Park

We have been enjoying the nice weather and the leaf changing color show, walking at the Sandy Bottom Park.
I think this place is a example of how we can fix some mistakes done to the environment.
The Sandy Bottom Nature Park is designed to enhance and protect wildlife habitats and to provide visitors with a chance to learn about its unique environment. The park is also a destination for those visitors simply interested in enjoying the outdoors through boating, fishing, hiking and other activities.Kecoughtan Indians, roamed the forests and meadows of today's Sandy Bottom Nature Park. Until some time in 1600, when European immigrants settled around Hampton and built houses and roads. Gradually, the Native Americans were driven from their old hunting grounds.The areas of the Hampton Roads Peninsula played significant roles during the American Revolutionary and Civil Wars, but no major battles were fought on the present park site. From the 1860's until the early 1950's, property owners farmed the land and harvested its trees for timber production. In the1950's the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) started mining sand needed for the construction of interstate highways. The pits formed from the mining operations, filled with rain and ground water to create the Sandy Bottom Lake.

After the Virginia Department of Transportation abandoned the mining pits in the 1970's, the property was abused by unconcerned citizens. They created crude roads as they sought access to the crystal lake swimming hole or used the secluded areas for dumping trash. The property's trees, bushes and other vegetation died as roots were severed and soil compacted. Mammal, bird, reptile and amphibian populations declined with the ever-increasing level of human intrusion. The area's wetland forests were dying a slow and painful death. In March of 1989 the City of Hampton approached the Virginia Department of Transportation with a park plan. VDOT deeded 250 acres of their old mining pits to the city with the understanding that the wetlands would be saved and developed. Over the next few years the city acquired almost two hundred additional acres from private land owners.

Sandy Bottom Nature Park was born!