Leah's Lovely Blog

PARTY PEOPLE

2009-01-20T08:58:00.001-07:00

Trendy

2008-02-26T10:31:00.002-07:00

This is what we've been doing this week:
fevers, coughs, sneezes, runny noses, body aches, puking, sore throats and pounding headaches.
Very Trendy!!!

Note: This picture is Talmage's bathroom trash can, which I rarely see (thank goodness). It was emptied shortly after this post :)

THANK YOU

2008-02-07T14:33:00.000-07:00

A big thank you this morning to the birds across the street.

Little did you know, while scavenging for food in the snow, there was a watcher among you. Thank you for being so entertaining and flying from our rooftop into the snow with such acrobatics. Thank you for not being afraid of these darn snow storms. Had it not been for you keeping my son in utter silence for an hour and a half I would not have been able to fold laundry, wash dishes (and bottles), and watch American Idol from last night. I owe you some bird food, and I promise to deliver (just as soon as I can get to the store). Hopefully you'll come back some day!

On a side note, after all was done, my boredom and mischeviousness got the best of me...I had to open the window and yell out just to see all of them scatter away. I laughed ridiculously as one of them flew into the window and smashed its berry on the pane (Don't worry, no birds were harmed, only slightly dazed). I looked down to see if Talmage thought it was as funny as I did but he was in that pre-cry stage and apparently I am a mean mom for making all the birds go away. Nothing a phone call to grandma couldn't fix. So maybe the birds will come back (with a food bribe) and I will return to mother-of-the-world status! I hope, I hope, I hope.

An Explanation

2008-02-01T14:07:00.000-07:00

Not that I need to explain myself, but before any of you think I've turned into a die hard Avril Lavigne fan with this background I thought I'd clarify. My love for the 80's is deep...real deep as far as music goes (I'm fine about it really, secure in my admission) so, when I found this background THE CURE immediately popped into my head with their song "I will always love you" (here I go singing again)and I just loved the thought of singing the song to myself everyday from now until Valentine's Day when a new background will inevitably appear!
Speaking of 80's music...I know all of you out there have your favorites that you just can't let go. What are they? I'm going to go out on the limb here and say....
Erica, yours is Rio by Duran Duran or maybe mint car by, again, THE CURE.

COMPENETRATE???

2008-01-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

I hate the word penetrate...for obvious reasons so when my son graciously offered up his newly-made-up word "compenetrate" during prayer last night, I nearly hurled. Don't get me wrong, my son is a genius (if I do say so myself) but what in the world could compenetrate possibly translate into? After some polite prodding on the use of this ghastly word I learned that what he was really trying to say was concentrate...fabulous word (and one he probably hears slip from my mouth often when he is doing homework or trying to concentrate on "holding it"). Anyhow, what may be equally funny about the whole situation was what he was prayerfully asking for in the first place. "please bless that Nixon can compenetrate and not be sick anymore" as if Nixon's concentration can cure him! Kids say the funniest things and it seems like my kid says more than what's normal. It keeps us laughing!

And for those of you familiar with my space bags post...my son has now moved on to Proactiv infomercials....he is hoping it can improve the red "blotchiness" on his baby brother's face!

here's some Nixon eye candy for you all (mostly for me, but it's my blog and I like looking at him). Talmage is just being himself in this last picture...bored with eating, might as well sleep!

I'm too sexy for my hair....

2007-11-20T20:21:00.000-07:00

This is not an exaggeration! Nixon's hair really looks like this, unless I wet it down.

CRAZY!!!

Ode to Nixon

2007-10-30T19:33:00.001-06:00

Can you tell...he loves getting dressed

Wow...that's a little too close guys!

Cross-eyed!!!

In all my glory...almost

Dad...getting carried away with the Fall theme....again!

What a week!

2007-10-30T19:12:00.001-06:00

First of all, happy 1 week birthday to Nixon...it literally flew by. We have had a somewhat laid back week (obviously) but we did have a couple things to do. One of those was Talmage's Halloween program at school. It was so cute and of course Tal had fun in his knight costume. Next...Nixon had his first Dr. appt. and as expected, he is doing well. He weighs almost what he did at birth weight (6 pounds 6 1/2 oz.) putting him in the 7th percentile. He actually grew an inch and is now 19" putting him in the 14th percentile. We're kinda use to the little guys. Carlos and I say we kinda made things even for our kids...I made their Latin skin a little white-washed, but at least I gave them a chance at some height! Lastly, we had our annual Caceres family pumpkin carving party which is always so much fun. Good times and great looking pumpkins were carved. Anyway...These are pics we've taken this week.

NIXON

2007-10-26T09:16:00.000-06:00

Nixon Van Caceres

Born: Oct. 23, 2007 at 7:36 am

Weight: 6 pounds 7 oz.

length: 18 inches

So we finally had our little guy. He is quite the little angel, seriously, we are wondering when it will end. He came into the world with no complications and has been mere perfection ever since. Here are a few pictures from the past couple days.

Space Bags...the death of me!

2007-10-10T07:47:00.000-06:00

My child is in the habit of waking up at 6:00 in the morning and not telling anyone. He just walks out to the living room and turns on cartoons (and gets his own breakfast). My husband and I have been discussing what to do...should we hide the remote control, or take the batteries out of it, maybe we should get a gate for his door??? We noticed that his "cartoon watching" was getting to be a little too lengthy because of this new habit, but we had no idea how bad it was until this morning when we heard the TV and both lazily got up to walk out to the living room only to hear Talmage saying this, as we're walking down the hall. "Space Bags are made of Nylon", "They are guaranteed to lock out dirt, bugs and moisture", "You can put space bags anywhere, under the bed, in the basement, or in the garage". Carlos and I looked at each other horrified...was that our child quoting the Space Bags commercial?
Needless to say something has got to be done! I'm so selfish right now with my sleep, seeing as how I am 81/2 months pregnant and barely sleeping anyway...waking up as 6 feels like death. I hardly want to hear Talmage screaming and wailing in the morning when he finds out he's trapped in his room or that his precious remote control doesn't work. Any ideas?

FALL.....my top 10

2007-10-09T09:43:00.000-06:00

My top 10 FAVORITE things of Fall

(in no particular order)

1. The ALPINE LOOP drive and all the fall leaves
2. Living at the mouth of AF Canyon

3. CHUNKY sweaters

4. SOUP...my favorites...Homemade CHICKEN NOODLE, cheesy potato and

LIL' SMOKIE minestrone

5. All shapes and sizes of PUMPKINS and gourds

6. APPLES off the apple tree from our rental

7. CRISP and COOL weather...with the occasional snow

8. Halloween DECORATIONS....my husbands favorite holiday is Halloween, thus the mock cemetary in my front yard
9. Spicy SMELLY candles...my favorites....APPLE Turnover and CINNAMON almond

and

10. Fall TV..my favorites.....Grey's Anatomy, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES and Prison Break

What are your favorite things about FALL???

Soccer

2007-09-24T10:29:00.000-06:00

Talmage's dream is finally here....he has been playing soccer for a couple of weeks now but in true "Leah blogs" fashion this post is a little late. Talmage has been wanting to play soccer ever since he could kick a ball with his Abuelo, so finally...after years of waiting....he's old enough to play. He loves it!
I'll never forget the morning of his first game when just moments after he woke up I told him he had his first soccer game in an hour to which he replied, very determined "now this will be the ultimate test". After making a goal at that first game Talmage wildly threw his hands in the air and screamed "GOOOOOOL" (making sure to hold out the "ooooo" for as long as possible, like a true spanish futbol broadcaster) while running down the field (if any of you have watched soccer in spanish, you understand) it was hilarious!
He's taking this very seriously for a four year old. It's been fun watching him and his little team win game after game and I have to admit that as a parent, I'm a little proud. Here's a few pictures of the little soccer stud!

Welcome Back!

2007-08-29T10:48:00.000-06:00

Now that summer is coming to a close and things are returning to normal in our lives, I feel like it's time to let the blogging world know that , YES, I still exist! Talmage is back in school, the basement is finished (and so is my scrapbook room), and the new baby is a mere 7 weeks away (which is when things get crazy again). I thought maybe I'd just post some random pics of what we've been up to this summer and let you all see for yourselves rather than reading a novel here on my blog.

Pictures not included: Katie's huge Bridal Shower, my 27th birthday, Landscaping gets put in, Our 7th anniversary, My mom's great 50th birthday party (put on by her fabulous children :P) and the long awaited completion of the basement!

So welcome back to my blog everyone and make sure to scroll down (it's a long way down) and catch all the action!

4th of July

2007-08-29T10:44:00.001-06:00

Tal's Fav's: The bike parade, sno cones and cousins
Carlos' Fav's: the bike parade and fireworks
Leah's Fav's: The whole darn day!

Camping (more)

2007-08-29T10:35:00.002-06:00

Tal making music with sticks.....free entertainment

the two extremes....Romeo (carlos' sisters dog) and our little guy Scout

Don't be fooled by those faces...they didn't catch a thing!

Camping (a few times)

2007-08-29T10:28:00.001-06:00

Scout desperately trying to find something yummy up there!

Carlos' Dad and his sister's dog Romeo (the black bear)

Looking for fish

We went camping several times this summer. We love to go to Granite Flats, up A.F. Canyon with family. Carlos' family had never seen Cascade Springs see we took them up there for a visit.

Swimming Lessons and swimming in general...

2007-08-29T10:21:00.000-06:00

Since his first bath he's been a fish in the making but I never knew he was such a water dare-devil. These days he enjoys practicing his strokes, diving under 4 ft. deep water to retrieve diving sticks and attempting to hold his breathe until I get scared enough to pull him out. I feel like almost every spare day this summer was spent at the pool or at Seven Peaks...it's been great!

Katie's Wedding

2007-08-29T10:15:00.000-06:00

All I have is the engagement picture but Katie's wedding took up a huge chunk of the first part of our summer. It ended up being the perfect day and everything went off without a hitch. She looked beautiful and the reception was gorgeous. We love Brian too and we're so glad these two are FINALLY married!

Coronado

2007-08-29T10:08:00.001-06:00

We had a lot of fun in San Diego whether we were at SeaWorld the zoo or just chillin at the beach. It was the perfect family vacation for a family that loves the water. Coronado was a blast Talmage enjoyed being in the water and our hotel (seen in the background) was amazing!

Tal's Fav's: the water
Carlos' Fav's: the gold flakes in the sand and collecting seashells
Leah's Fav's: uninterrupted reading on the beach

San Diego Zoo

2007-08-29T10:00:00.001-06:00

Tal's Fav's: the polar bears, the spectacled bears and the elephants
Carlos' Fav's: gorillas and polar bears
Leah's Fav's: the polar bears (the were extremely active that day)

Sea World

2007-08-29T09:56:00.001-06:00

Tal's Fav's: the polar bears and shamu
Carlos' Fav's: frozen lemonade, shamu and shamu...and shamu
Leah's Fav's: everything last little bit

Disneyland

2007-08-29T09:21:00.001-06:00

Talmage's fav's: The Jungle Cruise, Teacups, and Pirates of the Caribbean
Carlos' fav's: frozen lemonade, Buzz Lightyear, and Pirates
Leah's fav's: getting Tal's ears, Autotopia, and Adventure Land

It's Working!!!

2007-05-11T09:54:00.000-06:00

I missed my herb garden at the old house so much, I had to do something about it. I saw this little bit on Martha and decided to try it since I have two perfect windows in my kitchen for the pots to sit and bask in the sun! In the other window there's Oregano, Rosemary, Mint, and Peppermint. It's working...in no time I'll be preparing foods with fresh herbs again. Fun Stuff!

"Way Back When" Wednesday...numero quatro

2007-05-09T09:21:00.000-06:00

My husband asked me last night while watching American Idol "What was the first CD you ever bought"? I didn't need to think about it very hard. I was 13 and after I bought it I rushed home to my room, hastily opened it, and shoved it into my brand new boombox. I had every song on that CD memorized in a matter of hours. That famed CD is crazysexycool by TLC (go ahead and laugh)
Don't you all remember the song waterfalls? I remember watching the music video on MTV it was so cool, (when I was 13) the bodies of the girls looked like water, come on, you remember. I even memorized the Lisa "left-eye" Lopez rap part, and still know it to this day but don't want to embarrass myself reciting it...you just gotta hear me sing it! I thought I was so cool...wait....I still think I'm so cool hahahahaha

Are you kidding me?

2007-04-11T16:38:00.000-06:00

So, I'm reading fox news a second ago and come across this little blurb in the entertainment section. I use to like this girl, uh not anymore. Seriously, you've got to be kidding me...is this even legal? This girl is basically saying it's okay to smoke pot, can you imagine all her little fans out there thinking she's some idol to be praised, reading this? No wonder Hollywood is so dang messed up.

Kirsten Dunst Praises Pot

She might have an angelic appearance on the outside, but Kirsten Dunst says “Bring it On” when it comes to marijuana.

"I drink moderately, I've tried drugs. I do like weed," Dunst told a British paper, as reported by U.K’s The Sun. "I have a different outlook on marijuana than America does.

"My best friend Sasha’s dad was Carl Sagan, the astronomer. He was the biggest pot smoker in the world and he was a genius.”

The “Spider-Man” star also believes that the world would be a “better place” if everyone followed her lead in weaving a web of weed smokers.

"I've never been a major smoker, but I think America's view on weed is ridiculous. I mean — are you kidding me?” Dunst added. “If everyone smoked weed, the world would be a better place.”

Big News!!!

2007-04-11T10:03:00.000-06:00

These 11 days of April have been the busiest I can remember, but I've finally got a spare moment to sit down and blog. I thought I'd bring everyone up to speed on what's going on with our lives and what we've been up to. Don't be upset about the lack of pics, I accidentally left the camera in the car that Carlos took to work so, those will come later.
We started off April with a week in California, San Diego in particular. We flew into LAX early and spent the day at Disneyland. Seriously, that place is so much fun when you have kids! I was actually surprised err I mean SHOCKED that Talmage was so dang good. I thought the waiting in line thing was gonna be a problem, but he was such a champ and we had the best time. From there we drove to San Diego and made up our minds to have no plans and just go with the flow. I always feel like that makes a vacation so much more fun, when nothing is scheduled. We did a lot of stuff in San Diego....SeaWorld, San Diego Zoo, Coronado, Laguna Beach, Old Town San Diego and a lot more. It honestly was the PERFECT vacation.
Next thing is...since my sister could care less about her blog, I will inform the blogging world that Katie is finally, officially......ENGAGED (yes folks, ring on her finger and everything). She is getting married in Manti on June 22 (Erica...I hope maybe you'll be here). So that's really exciting and besides all the other stuff going on I've been busy helping with all the preparations for that. But, I don't mind...that's fun stuff! So a little update on that...Katie and Brian already bought a house...smart kids...in Orem and they have a cute little Beagle named Harley. Katie is living in the house now and getting it all cute and ready for the little couple once their married. We are so excited this is finally happening, it's been a long time coming.
Next thing...Talmage is 4...I can hardly believe it. We had a great birthday party with lots of pizza and salad and cake and ice cream. Talmage loved playing superhero's with his cousin Atticus. Talmage was Spiderman and Atticus was Captain Clearface (hilarious pictures to come).
Next, was Easter...we have a tradition of going to the Benjamin Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday morning and then going over to Grandma's (my mom) for another Easter Egg Hunt and a delicious brunch. As always, it was a ton of fun and Talmage made out with way too much candy and toys. On Easter Sunday Talmage searched everywhere for his basket and finally found it after about 10 clues. He loved the candy of course and the rocket launcher (pictures to come). For Easter dinner we went to Carlos' Mom and Dad's and had yummy food and good company...all in all a great day with nice weather.
With family BBQ's and friend get-togethers inbetween it's been a crazy crazy April so far.
BUT the big news is...something I can finally share....I'M PREGNANT...yes, I am finally 12 weeks and feel like it's ok to tell the world that after nearly 2 1/2 years of trying and 2 years on fertility drugs, I am finally pregnant and we couldn't be happier. Now, before you all go wondering just how many are in there, I had an ultrasound already and we are beyond relieved that so far, there is only one child!
So that's all folks...all the news you've missed and were dying to know..... hahahaha....like I said pictures to come. Later

"Way Back When" Wednesday......numero tres

2007-03-28T08:40:00.000-06:00

Good ole' Mr. Belvedere, a favorite from back in 1986. I watched this show everyday after school, while doing my homework, along with Who's the Boss and Full House of course. So here are the words from the song...straight from memory, see if you can sing along.

Streaks on the china,
never mattered before
who cares
When you dropped kicked your jacket
As you came through the door,
No one glared
But sometimes things get turned around
And no one’s spared.
All hands look out below
here’s a change in the status quo.
Gonna need all the help that we can get.
According to our new arrival
Life is more than mere survival
We just might live the good life yet

And who can forget Small Wonder. Jamie and Vicki...such fabulous actors weren't they? (could you sense the sarcasm). I have to admit that my favorite character was actually the annoying red haired girl who always came knocking on the kitchen window saying "heellllooo" in the most annoying way. What was her name, Harriet? Loved it!

She's fantastic, made of plastic
microchips here and there
she's a small wonder, brings love and laughter
everywhere....

Ode to Orange Julius

2007-03-27T09:14:00.000-06:00

This happens to be the only recipe I remember from my High School cooking class. Here at our house it reminds us of summertime. It's the yummiest so I'm sharing it with you.
6 0z. frozen orange juice concentrate
1 c. water
1 c. milk
1/2 c. sugar (I use a little less)
1 tsp. vanilla
ice cubes for desired thickness
serve right away with a straw (because that's the best part, unless you like them thick). Enjoy!
serves 4 or 2 really large glasses

Oh So Excited!

2007-03-23T10:21:00.000-06:00

So, a week from today Carlos and I are taking Talmage to California for his birthday. I can't believe he's going to be 4. It'll be exciting going to Cali as a kind-of tourist this time, as we will be nowhere near Simi Valley. We are going to do all the fun kids stuff...Disneyland, SeaWorld (Tal loved it last time), San Diego Zoo, The Wild Animal Park, Monterey aquarium and of course hit a couple beaches. Good thing Tal likes animals huh? We are excited, this is a needed vacation (what with Carlos working in the basement basically non-stop) and it'll give us renewed energy.
So, that's my blog for today...I couldn't contain my excitement to be in the warm hot sun for a week and drink up all the beautifulness California has to offer...we miss it!

"Way Back When" Wednesday......numero dos

2007-03-21T09:29:00.000-06:00

Ahhh the good old days of slap bracelets. No need to worry about accessorizing in 5th grade (1989). Just grab your favorite animal print slap bracelet and head out the door. If you were lucky they sold slap bracelets at your school store, as in my case. So if I thought cheetah print went with my purple top and stretch, stirrup pants...by golly I could buy it at lunch time for a quarter at the school store. Now this was a great idea...my props to the slap bracelet creator...thanks for starting me on the perfect track to a lifetime of fashion faux pas!!!!

Way back when Wednesday......numero uno

2007-03-14T09:19:00.000-06:00

Ok so everyone is doing a themed day and I'm sick of being left out so, I'm starting my own, and it's titled "Way Back When" and it will be featured on Wednesday's. This new theme day will feature things we loved, listened to, or did, way back when. So to get started.....

Do you remember your first Big Wheel? I mean seriously, who didn't have a big wheel. Back in '86 I used to ride my Big Wheel everywhere. I used to chase my brothers around on their big wheels. So the answer is, YES, I remember my first big wheel it was, (can anybody guess) a Barbie big wheel, complete with purple wheels and pink seat! What an ingenious idea....a plastic bike! Well, it was ingenious until you rode it soooo much that the tires started cracking from all the wear and it became all but impossible to pedal. Anyway, just wanted to remind you all of way back when we used to ride big wheels with the wind blowing through our hair and had not a care in the world!

Finally!!!

2007-03-13T10:23:00.000-06:00

Secretly, I've been looking forward to this moment for Talmage's whole life. The moment when instead of adding to the ever-present messes around the house, he can finally help dilute them (and I'm not talking just cleaning his room). And so Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Talmage, lending a helping hand when it's time to unload the dishwasher. Ok, now, I realize how this sounds, it may not be a big deal to you but think about this for a minute. I've got him to the point where he knows a regular fork from a salad fork. So he doesn't ask any questions, he just goes and does it. And on top of that, he actually asks me if the dishes are done washing so he can do his little job.
I feel a chore chart coming on and I'm tellin' you....I CANNOT WAIT!

10 Things for a Lovely Spring Day

2007-03-12T08:43:00.000-06:00

1. A bath and a good book.
2. Wheat Chex with fresh strawberries.
3. orange citrus candles.
4. A walk, alone, with my husband.
5. A visit to the local nursery and plans for a lovely garden.
6. Taking my child to the park
7. Having lunch out with friends at a swanky bistro and boutique.
8. Doing something meaningful, writing a thank-you note to a friend.
9. Mango Body Butter from The Body Shop
10. Shopping for fun spring scrapbook stuff or a new spring outfit!

Feeling Crafty...

2007-03-09T09:08:00.000-07:00

Time again for card club, and more importantly card-making. Such fun! I really enjoy this little time I get to put my creative juices into gear and have something to show for it.
That little pile of cut paper you see there (bottom left) is what Talmage likes to do when I'm working. He takes his little blue scissors and all the scraps of paper I'm finished with and cuts them up into confetti for his party he says.

A year of Card Club has brought in some fun cards. Here are some I pulled out from the archives and haven't sent yet. Maybe you could be one of the lucky ones to receive these handmade, full of love cards!

Back in Blogging Action

2007-03-09T08:42:00.000-07:00

After a long blogging sabbatical, I'm finally back! It's pretty embarrassing when your best friend in all the land has to call (long distance I might add) and all but beg you to "please write a new blog". So, just for her (and I guess to erase the shame of not blogging for two months) I am writing a new blog. So..all of you, my three blogging fans, can start living a more peaceful fulfilling life again! HA

The BEST Christmas Present of All!!!

2006-12-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

Carlos and I bought a new house. We are really excited!!! It's a house in Cedar Hills..this is by no means a great picture of the outside but it's the best I could get my hands on at the minute. It's a brand new house and we can't wait to move in the middle of January. We love the whole thing but I am especially excited for the kitchen...finally, a big enough kitchen to cook in (I'm not complaining about the others, I just like to cook, and to finally be able to spread out is a blessing). We were almost sick to leave our current house and could never get rid of it completely (we're way too attached) so we are going to be renting it out, hoping that all goes well and it remains in good condition.

So yes, Christmas was good to me this year and Carlos and I are very blessed to be able to have this new home. We can't wait to have everyone over for fun times and food in the future!!!

The fabulous kitchen...yeah for kitchens!!!

** (I have posted a mother load of blogs this morning so make sure to scroll down and view all of our Christmas time celebrations).

Opening Presents at Grandma and Grandpa's

2006-12-27T08:53:00.000-07:00

Lance helping Atticus open his noise making truck! Have fun with that Lance! (ha, ha, ha)

Talmage saying thanks to Grandpa with a hug!
Thanks for the toys Atticus!
WOW...what could it be?
The mayhem of it all!!!

Opening Presents at Grandma and Grandpa's CONT...

2006-12-27T08:45:00.000-07:00

On Christmas morning we woke up at 6am and made a beeline for my parents house so we could be there to open presents with everyone by 7. First we look at our socks, then open presents, and then my mom makes a great Christmas brunch...yum yum!

Opening presents at Abuela and Abuelo's

2006-12-27T08:40:00.000-07:00

Opening Presents at Abuela and Abuelo's (in pictures) CONT...

2006-12-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

Guatemalan Tops...the entertainment of choice!

2006-12-27T08:21:00.000-07:00

This is what Talmage did with his dad and Abuelo on Christmas Eve Day.

Abuelo (grandpa in spanish) has these great little tops that he brought with him from Guatemala (and saved all these years). For some reason these things only come out around Christmas time. You have to wind a string around the top and then throw them just the right distance for the string to unravel and let the top go spinning on its own. Of course Abuelo and Dad were doing most of the throwing but Talmage was excited none the less. This was the first year he was able to actually hold one in his hand while it was spinning. Too bad we didn't get a picture of that!

Tamales...the Christmas Eve tradition!

2006-12-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

This is a recurring scene every year at the Caceres house on Christmas Eve. After all, what would Christmas be without tamales? Nothing...if you ask us! Even Talmage goes nuts over these...and even though it takes a long time to make them...they're worth all the trouble for that first little bite! DELICIOUS!!!

YUMMY!!!

2006-12-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

These are the treats I made for Carlos to take to work this morning, they looked so yummy I had to take a pic. (and sneak a few for myself).

Winter Wonderland!!!

2006-12-20T08:13:00.000-07:00

Talmage loves the snow...everyday he wakes up to open the blinds and see if it has snowed...and if there is even a little skiff of snow he thinks it's prime playing ground. So these are some pictures of Tal in the first snow of the year...not much snow, but it made for one happy boy...see for yourself! (This snow pales in comparison to what we got on Sunday)

Nice throw! look at that form :)
perfect angel....
now if that doesn't melt your heart....

Sunday morning we woke up to a foot of snow, and it was great! The first thing Carlos said is let's go for a drive, little did he know I was thinking the same thing.... until we walked out the door and looked at this....

I was beginning to change my mind about that drive when Carlos says "this is why we have a Land Rover..he loves this stuff" (referring to the car as a person), then he adds "and it's about time you write a manly blog about how grateful you are for the Land Rover". So there you are hun, my manly blog about the rover.

Happy Holidays!

2006-12-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a month...I am so behind on my blogs, what with the season and all! Time goes by so quickly, especially at this time of year, it seems like we're too busy to take a second and reflect on what this season really means. The birth of the Savior. I keep trying to remind myself that during all the rushing and doing it won't hurt to take a few minutes to think of Christ, the reason for the season. It seems like life is so chaotic these days. We are taking in all this information, doing all these things but, do we really have time to reflect and act on the things were learning and doing.

Anyway, just some thoughts.

So now, a little update. House is decorated, lights have been up for a while, Ornaments are hung, Christmas cards out, Work parties attended, Neighbor gifts ready to be delivered, two presents left to be bought, packages mailed, Santa seen (several times), Christmas concerts to attend, and candy waiting to be made.

We hope everyone is having a great holiday season. We are so grateful for all of our dear family and friends who we love so much. Please, find time to reflect on Christ this season.

Love, The Caceres Family

Camel-Squash

2006-11-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

I got a kick out of Talmage today when he comes out of his room with this blanket over his head proclaiming "I'm invisible". These days Talmage is on this huge super-hero trip, so anything that even remotely sounds like a super hero thing is sooooo cool. So He comes running out of his room with this blanket "I'm invisible, I'm invisible" then slams into the couch! whoops! I ask him what he's doing and he says "remember when you telled me about the camel-squash and it makes you invisible in the forest" I thought back in my mind, I know I've never said anything about camel-squash so I said "NO" and he says "yeah you remember the camel-squash" and he holds up his blanket. I busted out laughing "Ohhhhh you mean camoflauge" "yeah, camel-squash" he says. Oh my gosh it was so funny!
And just to make you laugh about the super hero thing...about a week ago Tal was saying his evening prayers and right after he thanked Heavenly Father "that all the toys are mine" he quickly says and and thank you Heavenly Father "for having all the powers". So in our house, for now, God is a super-hero. Too funny!

FHE makes me cry!

2006-11-17T09:52:00.000-07:00

Don't get me wrong....I love Family Home Evening but when your child truly understands a concept, it can make you cry. At our house, (so that we can all get something out of it) we alternate weeks so every other Monday we have a "kid style" FHE and on the other Monday's we have the "adult" FHE.
So Monday, kid style FHE rolls around and Carlos and I decide to touch upon the "I'm trying to be like Jesus by sharing and being nice to others" point. All is going well until Carlos says "where does Jesus live" Talmage in his usual "know-it-all" self says "in heaven". Fabulous, great answer right? and then he continues "I get to live in heaven too"
"that's right" Carlos and I say (proud with ourselves for atleast teaching him this) until he continues so matter-of-factly. "I'm gonna die and I'm gonna go to heaven"
I become a little perplexed.
Carlos tells him "no Tal your not gonna die".
He comes back even more insistent "everybody dies daddy", "I'm gonna die and Scout (our dog) is gonna die and we're all gonna go to heaven"
At this point tears are beginning to form in my eyes as I keep hearing Talmage contest the fact to Carlos that he IS going to die and go live with Jesus.
Carlos keeps starring at me incredulously as if to say "what do I say".
Finally, bawling, I tell Carlos just make him stop, make him stop. So Carlos makes up some story about Tal playing soccer with his friends and sharing the ball etc...etc....
ANYWAY...moral of this story...it's perfectly fine, absolutely great for my son to know that he's going to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus, but it's another thing when he insists that he IS going to die!

Tal's program

2006-11-02T11:38:00.000-07:00

Here's Tal at his hilarious Halloween program at school. I'm so proud of my little guy, he's getting so big! It was so fun to watch him and his little personality(actually it's quite big, for those of you who know Tal, I'm sure you won't disagree) sing songs. We just love Tal's school they do such a great job and he is learning so much. He's almost learned how to write his whole name! YIPPEE!!!.......(ok maybe that was a little much)

Halloween Festivities

2006-11-02T11:17:00.000-07:00

Our family tradition of carving pumpkins with Tio Lee and Tia Andrea had lasted for six years and is still going strong. We all got together and had soup in bread bowls for dinner and carved great looking pumpkins...these are the two I carved!

This year we took Tal (along with our friends and their daughter) to Trick or Treat Street. It was so neat. A Hollywood props team came in and erected what looked like a real city block with houses, businesses, a park and all. It was great Tal and Lexi got to knock on every door and boy did they get a lot of candy!

much better...

2006-10-30T08:05:00.001-07:00

Talmage, cousin Atticus and Aunt Katie Dawn

Atticus, completely worn out!

Smile Tal!

All of us on the hayride, minus Carlos and I taking the picture.

What a cute little guy!

Everything is so much more fun with kids, don't you agree? (ok, maybe not everything) Going to the pumpkin patch or a carnival just wouldn't be the same without showing your child what it's all about! Maybe it's just an excuse for me to pretend I'm young again, but I don't care. This past week when my brother and his wife and their new little baby were in town all the kids got together to go to the Pumpkin patch and hayride at Thanksgiving Point. It was a blast! My brothers make things fun (or should I say funny) no matter what we're doing, but it was nice to have all the little ones together. Talmage loves playing with his cousins and being with his Aunts and Uncles. It sure did wear the little guys out! I'm so grateful that my family is close and we all love each other so much, it's such a blessing to have so many people who love you!

I can't wait til tomorrow, Halloween, when I can post fun pictures of Tal in his costume and the house at Halloween and Tal's program at school (please bless Talmage is not the child screaming the songs, making crazy faces and jumping around like a monkey). Until then......

OCTOBER

2006-10-04T10:44:00.000-06:00

October brings chilly weather, amazingly colorful fall leaves, and, of course, Halloween. At our house we love to celebrate the season with hot cider, gooey caramel apples, massive piles of leaves, bright orange pumpkins and creepy-crawly spiders.
It's such a blessing to live in Utah during fall, the changes that take place are breath-taking. Halloween is Carlos' favorite holiday and fall is our families favorite time of year. We always try to make it spooky for our little trick-or-treaters. Each year we add to our Halloween graveyard in the yard. The goal is to someday make the whole yard appear to be a creepy cemetery (which may take quite a few years seeing as the front yard is kinda large). I think this year we may give big candy bars to the kids with the best costumes. I am so glad I live in a neighborhood where we get lots of trick-or-treaters.
This year we have decided to take a different approach to the mass of leaves that litter our lawn during fall...it's called a leaf blower! Gone are the rakes and bags, we should have known better when we bought this house. Just to get a clue as to how many leaves we get, look at the picture above. That picture is about a tenth of our yard, so you can imagine the piles of leaves we have for Tal to play in. It makes for great fall fun! My point...if you ever feel like really getting into the fall spirit of things come blow yourself a pile of leaves in the yard and play away!

My Hero...

2006-10-04T09:47:00.000-06:00

This is my dad. One of the best things that has ever happen to me. I often joke with my husband that my dad is the ultimate example of a Senior Citizen. Just short of 80 years old, my dad still bales hay and straw everyday. He climbs over fences and wrestles with sheep. He walks up mountains, lifts heavy water grates and gardens relentlessly. Physically, he's just short of perfection. But, when it comes to anything else, he is perfection. When I was 14 my mom and my mom announced she was getting married, I was hell-bent against it and everything that had to do with it. I should have known that it would be the best decision my mom had ever made. The affection I have for my Dad cannot be matched. I absolutely love everything about him. From his grumpiness to his grim smiles and snickers. He's such a great example of how to live a life full of hard work and service. He doesn't say much but he doesnt need to. I feel his love, it's almost tangible. I love him...he's my dad...my hero!

Too much....too early

2006-09-21T08:57:00.000-06:00

The other day I woke up to find my son two inches away from my face starring intently into my eyes. Wait...let me back up. My son is 3 years old, he talks constantly, and frankly, knows way too much for his age (and of course...I love him like crazy). It's common for him to ask random questions but I was totally caught off-guard by this one. He frequently sleeps in my room on a small blow up mattress at the foot of my bed (ok really, it's every night but I can't break the cycle cause I'm too tired to get up and deal with it). So, on this particular morning he had climbed up in my bed after Carlos had gone to work and was starring at me. I opened my eyes and nearly jumped out of my skin (have you ever had that nightmare where you wake up to find someone starring at you with a knife poised above your head...yeah, not cool). I slowly realize it's Talmage and what's that he's saying? "Mommy, Mommy" I answer him "yeah" and with a look of real thought in his eyes he says to me "Mommy, what are you doing with my life?"
My mind starts working..ummmm...can this be happening at 7 in the morning, and wow, did he really just ask that. Not wanting to give a bad answer or an answer that would invite more questions (I was tired..come on) I thought a little more (Talmage still starring at me thoughtfully). I got it....I smiled back and said "I'm just trying to make you happy"
"oh. ok." he says and jumps off the bed. You've got to be kidding me, IT WAS JUST ANOTHER RANDOM QUESTION. It's not like he really cared or understood the meaning behind the answer and here I was left to consider what I had just said when all I really wanted was sleep.
Carlos and I often discuss Tal's future. We both agree that what we ultimately want for Talmage is for him to be happy ( finding happiness is a whole other blog for me). We don't care what he chooses for a profession or where he chooses to live, we just want him to be happy. Not some superficial happiness, but complete happiness. With so many paths to follow and so many things to choose from today, it is hard sometimes to see that happiness comes in and through Jesus Christ, his example, and his teachings.

Guatemala

2006-09-20T18:59:00.000-06:00

Guatemala

Never have I felt so connected to a different place and people. The feelings I have about guatemala are so strong that most people dont understand them. The pictures I see, the things I recall almost always bring me to tears. What I felt and saw when I was in Guatemala nearly 8 years ago remains vivid in my mind, as if I was actually still there trapped in the moment. The picturesque landscape of Tikal is surreal. To actually walk through ancient Mayan ruins is exhilerating and at the same time deeply spiritual. I often find myself trying to re-create in my own life the feelings of peace and beauty that I found in Antigua. One of the greatest experiences of my life was boating across Lake Atitlan with volcanoes rising from the shoreline on everyside. Silence and serenity overtook me, I could hardly take it all in. The majesty of it all took my breath away. My life has been influenced so much by the small country. The creation of Guatemala was a masterpiece.

Simplify

2006-09-19T14:42:00.000-06:00

I've always been one of those people who expresses themselves best through writing. It's only fitting that I should finally start a BLOG. With a little help and encouragement along the way from friends and family I have finally entered the blogging world with absolutely nothing profound to say!
There are so many possibilities here. I suppose I could fill up space by telling insanely funny stories about the things my son does and says (which I'm sure you'll read about almost everyday). I could write about childhood tragedies that I've suffered (like everyone else). I could write about sick and twisted things that sometimes go through my mind (like everyone else). I could give some counsel or write down my thoughts (kinda boring) or I could just be straight forward and typical and write about myself (which would be no fun at all).
So here it goes...ready? Something really deep....
Keep it simple.