greetings from Mexico 2008

Well, we got off to a VERY rocky start...

The 6 of us arrived at Los Angeles airport at 6:30 am.  We shuttled over to the terminal and checked in...or tried to...I had not brought the correct papers for Tess, who is still on an Ethiopian passport!!  Yes, they did not let her board the plane!!  It's a long story, which includes a trip to the Mexican Embassy in LA, but I thought ther passport with her valid R-4 visa in it was enough...WRONG!!  I needed proof of residency...which I had-at home.

SOOO, Jeff and the 3 kids left for Mexico and Tess and I stayed 4 more hours in the airport trying to get on some kind of flight to Puerta Vallarta.

Flash forward 24 hours and we were almost there...Jeff and the kids picked us up the following night and our vacation was officially under way...

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

...our 4 beautiful kids!!!
...our 2 a little less beautiful dogs...


What a year for the Jonas family...the highest highs and the lowest lows.  This year brought us great joy as we added our sweet daughter Tess to our family and we experienced our saddest times when we lost Jeff's mom(october2008) and dad(May 2008).

Through it all we are so thankful for the love and support from all of you, our family and friends.

We leave tomorrow for a great family trip (just the 6 of us) to Mexico.  We look forward to time together as we celebrate the blessings we have been given, the Lord's work in our lives and look forward to all that the new year holds.

Tess has been amazing and is thriving!  Her english is great and she is such a happy little soul. Christine is a total college student and has adjusted amazingly well to life without us...a little too well!  Bennett is loving High School, doing great academically, and  having fun with his cutie Amanda.  Cameron loves his new school, rocks the piano, and is a super lacrosse player.

 

So a big hug and kiss to you all and a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday and a healthy, happy, prosperous New Year!! OXOX...

Fashion 101...

I wish you could see some of the very funny outfits that Tess comes up with!!  I almost always have to lend a helping hand.  I happened to have my camera out this morning and snapped today's FANTABULOUS outfit!!  The rule is...there are no rules!  All patterns are fair game, sandals with socks,  stripes with leopard...bring it on!!  The funniest part is me trying to explain why  that outfit is just not working...she tells me "but this so good, mom!"  Many times I just have to let her be...stripes, dots, brown with green, dress over pants with a big hair bow!!  You go girl!!

Christmas with Vovo and Vovo

Vovo and Vovo ( which means grandpa and grandma in Portuguese) came to visit for a few days.  We celebrated Christmas early with them.
All the boys...

Tess giving Vovo a big thank you hug for ther present...

Vovo gave Tess a new dress which she wore the next day and it looked darling!!!

Bennett and his girlfriend Amanda at our little party.

HO-HO-HO

Tess has been fascinated by the whole Santa thing...and wouldn't you know it, we walk into the mall and there he was!!!  Boy did I have a lot to explain...what was he doing there? how did he get there?where does he live?where are the reindeer?is he sleeping there?...

Cameron is on the fence about Santa but has enough doubt that he's still buying in...so both kids came up with a few things to ask for and off we went to sit on Santa's lap.  

Then the unthinkable...we got a Christmas card from a friend who's kids were sitting on Santa and it was clearly not the same guy!!...more questions...Is there only one? why do they look so different?does he go everywhere?how come he didn't go to Ethiopia?  Like any good mother would do, in an attempt to save Santa,  I began rattling off so much mumbo jumbo that I just hope I keep my stories straight...Merry Christmas Tess!!

My 2 favorite things...

SPONGE BOB AND LIZARDS!!!
Our Gecko Lizard "Spot" on Tess's foot...at first she was a bit squimish...but as usual, she gets over things rather quickly and now asks to hold spot all the time...
Cameron and Tess share a room with each other and with Cameron's gecko "Spot".  Tess has asked for her own lizard for her birthday...I told her I'd think about it but... twice as many crickets and mealworms...I don't think so.  Cameron is very funny with his gecko rules and regulations...but she doesn't seem to mind and handles Spot just fine.  She even likes to watch Spot eat the mealworms and crickets, which can be yucky...a dainty thing she is not!!!

The reindeer have landed...

And the leader is a Crazy college reindeer!!!

...the mini reindeer...waiting for Santa...
and the big studdly High school reindeer...(I had to bribe them to put the antlers on...)

The Jonas household is officially ready for the Holidays!!!