one year old

Here I am (Anita) turning one:

And here's Lotus turning one!

playground days

some Fall photos

Lotus playing at the mall. There's Solana in the background!

collecting the Magnolia cones

Solana in the tree, Uncle Bill, Lotus, and Marilyn at City Market

Emerson and Lotus

Uncle Bill and Solana making a list of Solana's friends

Thanksgiving weekend

Solana gets her face painted (by me) quite often now. This one came out pretty good - I think it looks like a butterfly anyway.

Raziya and Uncle Bill. She came over Friday night and we played Trivial Pursuit. David won of course.

Solana had fun at the beach Thursday afternoon.

It was so nice and sunny out finally!!!!

Costa Rica

We just got back from a week in Costa Rica visiting Gina and her kids, Sophia (almost 5) and Melissa (2 months). We went down there with Dana (Nana) and Uncle Bill. We stayed in Jaco near the beach. One day, David and Uncle Bill and Lotus and I made a trip to the volcano Arenal to visit the hot springs there. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of this place because it was raining and I didn't want to get the camera wet. Besides, pictures would not have done justice. This was the most beautiful place I have ever seen. There was hot water flowing in streams and waterfalls and pools, all surrounded by lush landscape and flowers. Paradise. Anyway, the pictures I did take are on Snapfish. You can view them here: http://www5.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=2623531008/a=41827066_41827066/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
The best part of the trip was watching Solana and Sophia play together. It brought a tear to my eye sometimes. Here is a little glimpse for you...

The Cruise, Part Three

I'm 34

Thank you to everyone who sent me birthday greetings, cards, phone calls, gifts, flowers, texts, emails, etc. Thank you for remembering my birthday Mom, Dad, Betty, David, Ed & Annake, Dana, Aunt Brenda, Raziya, Leia, Howard, Armand, Julie, Marisa, Theresa, tia Alicia & tio Willy, Sachiko, tia Carmen. It was our first day back home after our trip and it was rather anti-climatic to be back at "work" after such a nice holiday, on my birthday, but I survived and I was surprised people actually remembered it. No photos!!!

The Cruise - Part Two, Panama Canal

The Cruise, Part One

Long time no post! We were away from home for almost 3 weeks, on a cruise with David's family. Ed and Annake celebrated their 40th anniversary and took us and Karen's family on a 14 day cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to San Diego via the Panama canal. We spent 2 nights in Florida before the cruise; 2 nights in San Diego after the cruise, and 1 more night in Florida on our way home. I didn't want to come home, except to do laundry. Solana really enjoyed traveling also, although she missed her friends. Lotus was quite the spectacle on the ship; our two kids were the only ones on the ship under the age of 9. Anyway, it was great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here are some pictures, with more to come.

Solana took this picture, hence the angle.

on the ship

Cartagena, Colombia

Cartagena

Cartagena

Jacksonville, day 1

five years of Solana

one day old

one year old

two years old

three years old

four years old

new niece!

We have a new niece! Melissa Kane Sanchez was born on September 13, 2009, to Gina and David, and big sister Sophia. She weighed 3400 grams and was born 3 days before her due date.

happy belated

Happy Birthday Grandma Irma (the 18th) and Uncle Terry (the 13th)! Love you! Here's some pictures.

Solana turns 5!

Lotus rides the airplane with Dad