Thursday, December 31, 2009

Last Day of 09!!!!


Spending the night with family and friends.
Scrapping and laughing.
Reminiscing on the past year, looking forward to the next.

Praying that 2010 is a wonderful year!


Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Last Wed Night of 09!


Well, I'm happy to say that tonight was the last time I will eat at McD's this year!!!
Yes I am feeling much better.
Cant believe how much better I feel now compared to yesterday....
Anyways... since I felt better we decided to take the kids to their normal Wednesday night McD's night.
We were there just over 4 hours... the kids played, the adults talked, and we really lost track of time.
No complaints from me!
It's nice to talk to adults every now and then!
Here are some pics from tonight...


E found this Ronald Crown and just had to wear it!



The Little Lady joining in on the fun!


K wearing the crown while trying his hand at soduku.

Dh being his grumpy self after the kids spilled two of their drinks, numerous trips to the bathroom, and having his soduku book taken over by the kids...
At least he posed for the pic!
*laughs*


Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Sick

I am sick.
I feel like a truck has ran over me.
Now that everyone in this family has had this sickness I hope I am the last.
This is terrible.
Hoping to wake up feeling much better tomorrow.

Monday, December 28, 2009

Memory lane....


I've been kinda in a reminiscing mood lately...
I'm not sure why....
maybe it's the holidays...maybe it's because I actually have time to think bout other things... maybe it's due to facebook and the people on there that I knew in my previous "lives".
A couple of days ago someone on facebook was discussing if anyone had former teachers as their friends... I do...as well as some people I went to elementary school, middle, high school, and my first stint in college. I also have people on there who I worked with before my injury as well as people I am currently in law school with... as in the words of George Constanza "It's as if all my worlds are colliding!"
It truly is... I mean here I am.... today... my life has changed so much in just the past 5 years... not to mention the past 10, 15, 20 years! Some people I would like to have them know the me, now... others... I dunno....
I think about my teachers.... and yea...guess I didnt turn out to be the screwup they thought I would...but in a way, I'm not sure how my current life would be viewed.... see... I was not very popular in school... I had kinda a rebellious streak.... guess it has continued on in my life...and has intensified somewhat... *laughs*
My former classmates.... many of them are well ahead in their professional lives than I am.... most dont have families though... I'm not sure if that is a trade off or not... I'd had thought I would have been further along in my professional life also....but... things happen....

Well... kids are in bed... and time for the wii.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Lazy Sunday


We missed church today due to sickness... we actually stayed in all day today also.
I cooked breakfast, lunch, and dinner... and I tried to tackle the huge amount of laundry that I had to wash, dry, fold, and put away.
It actually felt like a weekend.
I even got to get online this afternoon....while us adults had our timeout (kids were supposed to nap)
I also got to play our wii for the first time.
Havnt gotten to play my madden game yet...but I tried all the sports games... and btw.. I rawked the boxing game! *laughs* I better have some boxing skills after all the choi kwan do training I had when I was younger!
Cant wait though to get another controller...that way dh and I can play each other...and not have to share a remote! Also waiting for my wii fit... that should be fun also.
Also want to get rock band... yes... sad.. I know....but kinda fun too!

Hopefully all our kids are getting over their sickness...
no one is currently sleeping with me right now... and that is the first time in a few days... so I really hope they are on the mend.
We are supposed to go to rat in the hat later in the week...wouldnt want them to miss out on all the fun.

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Thankfulness


Today was a day of fun...but it was also a day for Thankfulness!

Last year on this day our lives were altered.
Our Little Lady's life was altered the most... but all of us felt the effects.
Just reading the post that I made on the 27th of Dec of last year... has me bawling again...

Thankfully our Little Lady has healed, rebounded back, and today is a healthy and happy little girl!
We also have a new little pup in our lives.
I just hope the emotional scars have healed as well as the physical scars have.

On a lighter note, we took the kids to see Alvin and the Chipmunks.
It was cute... but we over estimated how the kids felt physically.
By the time the movie was over I had made at least 6 trips to the bathroom with various kids and dh had made at least 5....
We had a few errands to run afterwards...and then came home.
The boys went right to bed.
The Little Lady still isnt feeling well... so it took a while for her to fall asleep....but she finally did and has not woken up so far.


So Thankful to be able to take this picture of our Little Lady!!!
Yes, she is a girly girl!


Daintily walking to the van!!!

Alvin! Alvin! Alvin!

Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas!!!!


I hope everyone had a very, Merry Christmas!!!!

We have had a great day...minus one little glitch...
Our Little Lady began to vomit around 3pm this afternoon... she (so far) has stopped at 8pm... just in time to vomit while having company over, eating dinner, and then trying to eat dessert.
Once everyone left... she fell asleep on my lap...she is in my bed now... hopefully not going to vomit...but wouldnt be the first time this week!

Other than that little bit of drama, we had a very early beginning day!
I am still not sure what time the kids woke up... I know I was quickly woken up though and literally had to roll out of bed, grab the camera, and begin taking pictures!
I believe it took the kids all of 25 mins to destroy what took us 3 hours to wrap!
An hour after they were awake...they were wondering what we were gonna do for the day!
and people think toddlers have no attention span! *laughs*

I did make a nice breakfast, we watched Monsters v. Aliens 5 times, I took a nap while the kids fought theirs off, and I made a turkey dinner with all the fixings!
The kids enjoyed most of their gifts... ok...they enjoyed the toys... the books, the shoes, didnt go over so well...and in fact brought tears in one case....
I enjoyed my gifts VERY much!!!
I now have 4 new cricut cartridges!!!!!!!!
I also have a food processor!!!!
How have I lived without a food processor all my life????
I made a complete salad in less than 5 mins with the fp!!!!
It was AWESOME!
As for the cricut cartridges... oooo... I am trying to convince dh that they come with a Jan weekend of scrapbooking!
Just a little more convincing needed!

All in all though I think we had a great Christmas!


Our tree with some of the loot!


E checking out his new light saber!

K in his BumbleBee (from transformers) helmet and new light saber!


Little Lady admiring her pony!


F wanting to listen to his new Alvin and the Chipmunks cd!
(no idea what we were thinking!!!)


E thrilled to NOT have another pair of shoes to open!


E in his storm trooper mask and light saber!


F enjoying his light saber!


Two cute dolls sittin in time out!


Even Diego got into the fun of Christmas!

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Nochebuena!


Happy Christmas Eve!

We still have two kiddies under the weather... so our plans for tonight had to change a little.
We still had a good day and as of right now, everything is all set for the large event tomorrow morning!

Hope everyone has a great night!!!!



Can I get a pic in the Christmas PJ's??


F showing off his TowMater pants!


E and K mesmerized by their 50th viewing of SpongeBob's Christmas!


The Little Lady loves her Pretty Dora PJ's!


My 4 kiddo's who were soooo NOT ready for bed!

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Worried Wednesday


Well... it seems that a bit of a sickness has now hit our family... K is in my bed right now... he's thrown up twice tonight... and wouldnt even get up from the table to play at McDonalds... our Little Lady has a 102.9 fever.... just hoping that it doesnt go to everyone!

Other than that... I did my last minute grocery shopping... crowds were nuts... then had to go get a last minute item near a mall...things were nuts... and then went to McD's for family night... things were quiet there! *laughs*

Guess I'm once again ready for the holidays to be over... so many expectations.... have to have just the right gift... have to have just the right dinner... have to do this, and that, and the other...all cuz it is the Christmas season.... I'm just not cooperative with all that!!! *laughs*
Why cant things just be low-key and happy???
Seriously!
Well... things are gonna be low key and happy in THIS house for the next two days!
I'm planning on making some more banana bread tomorrow...and having the kids help me make cookies.... I'm also making pupusas for dinner... and then we are going to mass.... hopefully the 9pm mass...but we will see how the kids are feeling....
Either way... I'm gonna try not to stress!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Having fun...


The two older boys had pre-school today!
Of course, they didnt want to go at all.... they wanted to stay home and watch SpongeBob all day long now that they have four dvd's of SpongeBob!
But, E and K needed to get out of the house and go play... so off they went!

The Little Lady, F, and our GrandKids ended up having a play date with a friend and her son.
Little J is the same age as F...and is little like F... so... they get along really well!
It was also the first time that J actually got up in the play structure...so it was nice for his mom also!
After all that playing, I thought my kids would want a nap... ok...well I wanted a nap... so we came home and I napped... (I think the little ones did too...)
I woke up, we had some bbq wings from Buffalo Wild Wings, and I made two batches of Banana Nut Bread... I have enough banana's to make two more batches... guess what neighbors and friends are getting for Christmas??? *laughs*
I'll even put a nice ribbon on it!

I have a doctors appointment tomorrow...but we may either paint our ornaments (we dont have a tree up yet....not sure if we will or not now...)
or, we will make cookies since I have my mixer already out.
I have a kitchen aid mixer... and I LOVE it!
When it comes out I find all kinds of excuses to use it!
I am also going to try my hand at homemade bread... I saw it on Chefs Academy... and I just happen to have some fresh mozzarella and some pesto layin around.... yummm.... I hope it turns out well... I can bake everything else... dont see why I wouldnt be able to make a freestyle bread.
I do know if we make cookies, I will do it one on one with the kids... I already have 10 different colors and types of sugars and sprinkles for them to decorate their cookies!
I'm sure they will have fun... I will absolutely get pictures...before I lose my mind of course! *laughs*
I was also productive last night!
I made the foster/God parents their calendars!!!
Tonight they went on sale and I got 20% off each calendar!!!!
Yes, they will get them after Christmas...but at least they will get them!
and that... is what matters!

Monday, December 21, 2009

Busy monday...


Today was a pretty busy day for us...
Dh cleaned up the living room while I attempted to finish my Christmas Cards...
Of course, on the way to the post office I opened up a card from someone I forgot to send a card to, so, I guess I'm not as done as I thought I was!
I also shipped a box to my Grandma... only waited 20 mins to use the machine... the line to talk to a real post office worker was wrapped around twice...so I chose the machine although I usually will not. I dont believe replacing people with machines... I find it ironic while at the store and the people are practically begging you to use the self-check outs... they are practically begging their own jobs away... I point this out to them at every opportunity...yet it doesnt seem to sink in.

We also had to do a little shopping today...
what a flippin JOKE!
Seriously!
Just needed to buy a couple of cards....
The cards were all picked through soo bad...
Got the ones we needed...but had to deal with the insanely rude people to do so.
I'm so glad I did the kids' shopping online... we have hugely cut back this Christmas (not like last year was extravagant or anything...) but we really are trying to do the Christmas of Four.
1. Something you Want
2. Something you need.
3. Something to wear.
4. Something to read.

Now... we have two of the #1's this year... only because the thing the older boys wanted... needed something to go with it... everything else though was super easy... and each kid is getting a movie.
Of course, with keeping with tradition...not a single thing is wrapped... and I will be up until Christmas morning actually wrapping everything.... but it's all here!

We also had a nice dinner out with one of my friends from Law School.
She is a bit younger... only child (like me!!!!)... no experience with kids (like me 5 years ago!!!) but she has kinda hung out at our house with the kids... well tonight she got to see them with NO nap...at dinner.... I didnt think they were all that bad really.... of course... I'm used to a lot of things that might have made me cringe a few years ago... I think we kinda freaked her out a bit!
I think maybe we should invite high school students to sit in with us once in a while... that might be a great reality check when it comes to the use of birth control! *laughs*
Of course I love my family...and those that have multiple kids know that you have to learn to let some things go...or it would drive you absolutely nuts!
We had a great dinner regardless...and I hope she still talks to me! *laughs*
Tomorrow I have more cards to finish... and I really need to finish some Christmas gifts... the fostermoms are gonna be impressed that they get their things before Easter this year!!!
Ok...well I'm planning on them getting their things before Easter this year!
It is just hugely difficult to get everything done in such a short amount of time between the end of finals and the actual holidays.


E claims to love lemons...
Least that is why he told me he always steals them from my tea!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Sunday, Sunday


Well... I'm happy to report I am alive and feeling a lot better!

My doctor was switching around some of my medications and I seemed to have quite the allergic reaction to the new one.
I was an itching fool!!!
Took another dose, my throat began to itch, my mouth went dry, and my tongue began to swell...so, off to the ER I went!
Didnt have to have epi... so that is good!
The meds they did give me so made me sleep all morning and thankfully my dh allowed me to do said sleeping!

Yesterday before I was "woman on an itch", I helped the kids make salt-dough ornaments!
I made up the dough and then called them all out into the kitchen to cut out the ornaments.
Yea...next time... will only call them one by one!
But, dh helped, and we made it through!
The kids made some cute ornaments and they seemed to have fun!
We havnt painted them yet... my itchies got in the way... but hope to maybe paint them tomorrow...and then dh and I need to get off our duffs and get our tree up!
See... we are trying an experiment...
Will the kids still knock ornaments off if they are their own????

We had a good day today after I woke up!
Had a late lunch with some friends at McD's....
ok...so the kids liked it!
But, they got to play... adults got to talk...
and then we went grocery shopping.

Tried a lunchmeat, cheese, veggie and cracker dinner tonight...
Didnt go off very well.
Kids love it for lunch...but apparently they are spoiled...they expect a hot meal for dinner... oh and dessert. *laughs*


F cutting out his ornaments!


K having a good time!


The Little Lady enjoyed herself also!


I think Diego enjoyed dinner more than the kids did....

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Well then....

I was prepared to talk all about the salt-dough ornaments we made and such... But, instead, I am tryping this on my blackberry... On the way to the er... Having an anaphalatyic reaction to some new medication... Havnt needed my epi pen yet... But damn if I don't itch on every single part of my body...
So....
Pictures and Happy Holiday Memories tomorrow!

Friday, December 18, 2009

Fav Foto Friday (12-18-09)


Well it's Late Night Friday Night!
Time for my Favorite Foto Friday!!!!
To see more FFF click here!




Here are all my kiddo's eating dinner tonight....
They look innocent dont they???
Maybe one would even say they look cute...

This is after the fallout we had at the playplace!

In the span of 30 mins...
1. E & K were blamed for tearing apart some of the play place (we had been there less than 5 mins...)
2. F got caught spitting on numerous kids
3. L took off her pants, pooped on them and on the floor, and then came walking out of the bathroom covered in poo and naked from the waist down.
4. E dropped a full cup of soda on the floor.

So...
I didnt believe that E and K did this particular crime... they get into things...but that is ridiculous.
2. F was put on full time - time out
3. I had to clean the poo off the floor and the Little Lady and then helped mop up
4. Helped mop up the soda.

Just a glimpse of my crazy life with 4 (sometimes-crazy kiddos)

Hope everyone has a great weekeend!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Woooo!


D-O-N-E!

Must Sleep!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Thankful


I had a moment during the horror of my torts exam last night that really made me laugh.
I was heading back to my desk to pack up since I had turned my exam in. The exam completely made me panic. It was tough. But, as I walked back to my seat I really had to chuckle.... if THAT was going to be the most difficult thing that I do in life... well then... I must be very privileged!
Of course, that is NOT by any means the most difficult thing in life I have had to face... in fact, I am Privileged that I even GET to have the stress of a law school exam! Thousands of people apply to my school to fulfil their dreams or goals of becoming a Lawyer. I was one of the few that actually got in! Not only did I get in... but I made it through my 1st year...and am half-way through my 2nd year! After I have the privilege of attending classes... then I get to go home to my wonderful family! I have four beautiful children and a husband who is willing to deal with a wife who is in law school. Such a HUGE and wonderful blessing to have the family that I have! I also have the full support of my parents who of course, have been supporting my academic endeavors since I began pre-school! They spent 3 days with us to help out since our schedules were so messed up this week!
Just reflecting on everything while I sit here and wait for my outline and notes to print for my exam tomorrow. My last exam of this semester.... and then... I will be 1/2 way to being DONE with law school! Of course, I have a long way to go to becoming an attorney... as a JD does not an attorney make... but still... I'm on the right track...and with all the wonderful people in my life I will fulfill my goal, grab that JD, Ace the bar, and then get a great job! (ok...so a girl can dream right???)
Cant wait for my kids, my husband, and my parents to see me graduate. They should get something also... since without them, this may not have been possible.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Tired

Well... Immigration exam went fine.
Torts... Different story... But, it's over and done now.... and I am mentally exhausted.
Labor Law exam on Tuesday...then I believe I will allow my brain to rest a few days!

Monday, December 14, 2009

Not much to say...


Well... tomorrow is a day of two exams....
Immigration and Torts....

Since I spent the day cleaning house and studying... and really have only been thinkin bout the above two subjects.... I dont have a whole lot for today.....

I will just relax in the fact that I found these online....
Real questions asked by real attorneys... who I have to assume have passed all required law classes.... makes me feel better bout myself...

Actual stupid questions asked

The below excerpts appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune. They were taken from real court records.

Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, in most cases he just passes quietly away and doesn't know anything about it until the next morning?

Q: What happened then?
A: He told me, he says, "I have to kill you because you can identify me."
Q: Did he kill you?

Was it you or your brother that was killed in the war?

The youngest son, the 20-year-old, how old is he?

Q: She had three children, right?
A: Yes.
Q: How many were boys?
A: None.
Q: Were there any girls?

Were you alone or by yourself?

Q: I show you Exhibit 3 and ask you if you recognize that picture?
A: That's me.
Q: Were you present when that picture was taken?

Were you present in court this morning when you were sworn in?

Q: You say that the stairs went down to the basement?
A: Yes.
Q: And these stairs, did they go up also?

Q: Now then, Mrs. Johnson, how was your first marriage terminated?
A: By death.
Q: And by whose death was it terminated?

Q: Do you know how far pregnant you are now?
A: I'll be three months on March 12th.
Q: Apparently then, the date of conception was around January 12th?
A: Yes.
Q: What were you doing at that time?

Do you have any children or anything of that kind?

Was that the same nose you broke as a child?

Q: Mrs. Jones, do you believe you are emotionally stable?
A: I used to be.
Q: How many times have you committed suicide?

So, you were gone until you returned?

You don't know what it was, and you didn't know what it looked like, but can you describe it?

Q: Have you lived in this town all your life?
A: Not yet.

A Texas attorney, realizing he was on the verge of unleashing a stupid question, interrupted himself and said, "Your Honor, I'd like to strike the next question."

Q: Do you recall approximately the time that you examined that body of Mr. Huntington at St. Mary's Hospital?
A: It was in the evening. The autopsy started about 5:30 P.M.
Q: And Mr. Huntington was dead at the time, is that correct?
A: No, you idiot, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was performing an autopsy on him!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Sunday studying....


Well...the first four days of this week are going to be very difficult for me!

Today I spentwith a friend from school, finishing up our immigration outlines.
I really want to practice in immigration law... but the class was disappointing... I guess I could say that about quite a few classes that I have had... yes you read cases... yes you learn some code... but overall, it's not stuff you would need to have in your arsenal for day to day usage... of course it is simply to touch on the subject... but still... seems like there would be more too it.

Of course, I suppose again that this is where internships/externships come in... (still havnt figured out the different in those terms though...) but, apparently I am not a very good candidate for employment as a law student... even though I am more than thrilled to work for free...
Last summer... I applied for around 10 positions... no call backs... for January - May 10, I put in 3 applications... no call backs... so... over the winter break I will begin to write those wonderful cover letters so that I may get someone to allow me to get some real-life experience over next summer. I really wish law school was like my apprenticeship... where the "work" took preference over the "books". All the book knowledge in the world isnt gonna make me an attorney. Only doing real life work and "playing" attorney will create an attorney.

Same with exams...
I get immigration law...
I've been through it 4 times now!
However, I will probably not get higher than a C on my exam...simply because I will not "write" what the professor will want. See.. not good enough that you give the correct answer.. you must elaborate... you must then elaborate why the wrong answers are wrong... and if you elaborate wrongly...well...then the answer is incorrect. While I feel my writing skills are strong... in the world of law... my writing skills suck... especially on exams.... Yes... once again... this is where real life writing will make one a better writer... the two writing classes I have had just have not been enough.

I will also have my torts exam this week.... actually immigration and torts are both on Tuesday. Both outlines are complete...but torts is a completely closed exam... no book, no notes, no nothing. Oh...and for extra fun... I have to WRITE! My writing is horrible!!! Seriously... I grew up in the age of computers... I havnt really had to write anything since elementary school... typing... sure I can type for 3 hours...but to write for three hours... my hand is going numb just thinking bout it... oh...and the prof has to be able to read it... oops!

Thursday will be my last exam this term... Labor law... what could also be my bread and butter... I've lived labor law being in the UAW for 11 years... being a child of a 45 year UAW member... growing up in a UAW family.... I've had other history of labor classes.... I know the Taft-Hartly act... even without the class... I knew what the NLRB and the NLRA was... but still... until once actually gets in the trenches... it's all just reading and reciting... reading and reciting... not so much memorization... cuz really... there isnt much memorization in law school... more like knowing the lines of the case holdings and being able to analyze...and then use the code and the case to back it up.

Thursday evening... I can breathe a sigh of relief... enjoy my vacation... and wait for my next classes to begin... wont see my grades till Jan or so.... so at least they wont ruin my vacay... *laughs* I'm ok being an average student... really... I have so much more life experience... that in real life should count for something...

Well... now that I have talked bout my outlining and exams... I must get back to them....
fun, fun, fun.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe



Today, Catholics throughout the America's celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The opening of the New World brought with it both fortune-seekers and religous preachers desiring to convert the native populations to the Christian faith. One of the converts was a poor Aztec indian named Juan Diego. On one of his trips to the chapel, Juan was walking through the Tepayac hill country in central Mexico. Near Tepayac Hill he encountered a beautiful woman surrounded by a ball of light as bright as the sun. Speaking in his native tongue, the beautiful lady identified herself:

"My dear little son, I love you. I desire you to know who I am. I am the ever-virgin Mary, Mother of the true God who gives life and maintains its existence. He created all things. He is in all places. He is Lord of Heaven and Earth. I desire a church in this place where your people may experience my compassion. All those who sincerely ask my help in their work and in their sorrows will know my Mother's Heart in this place. Here I will see their tears; I will console them and they will be at peace. So run now to Tenochtitlan and tell the Bishop all that you have seen and heard."
Juan, age 57, and who had never been to Tenochtitlan, nonetheless immediately responded to Mary's request. He went to the palace of the Bishop-elect Fray Juan de Zumarraga and requested to meet immediatly with the bishop. The bishop's servants, who were suspicious of the rural peasant, kept him waiting for hours. The bishop-elect told Juan that he would consider the request of the Lady and told him he could visit him again if he so desired. Juan was disappointed by the bishop's response and felt himself unworthy to persuade someone as important as a bishop. He returned to the hill where he had first met Mary and found her there waiting for him. Imploring her to send someone else, she responded:

"My little son, there are many I could send. But you are the one I have chosen."
She then told him to return the next day to the bishop and repeat the request. On Sunday, after again waiting for hours, Juan met with the bishop who, on re-hearing his story, asked him to ask the Lady to provide a sign as a proof of who she was. Juan dutifully returned to the hill and told Mary, who was again waiting for him there, of the bishop's request. Mary responded:

"My little son, am I not your Mother? Do not fear. The Bishop shall have his sign. Come back to this place tomorrow. Only peace, my little son."
Unfortunately, Juan was not able to return to the hill the next day. His uncle had become mortally ill and Juan stayed with him to care for him. After two days, with his uncle near death, Juan left his side to find a priest. Juan had to pass Tepayac Hill to get to the priest. As he was passing, he found Mary waiting for him. She spoke:

"Do not be distressed, my littlest son. Am I not here with you who am your Mother? Are you not under myshadow and protection? Your uncle will not die at this time. There is no reason for you to engage a priest, for his health is restored at this moment. He is quite well. Go to the top of the hill and cut the flowers that are growing there. Bring them then to me."
While it was freezing on the hillside, Juan obeyed Mary's instructions and went to the top of the hill where he found a full bloom of Castilian roses. Removing his tilma, a poncho-like cape made of cactus fiber, he cut the roses and carried them back to Mary. She rearranged the roses and told him:

"My little son, this is the sign I am sending to the Bishop. Tell him that with this sign I request his greatest efforts to complete the church I desire in this place. Show these flowers to no one else but the Bishop. You are my trusted ambassador. This time the Bishop will believe all you tell him."
At the palace, Juan once again came before the bishop and several of his advisors. He told the bishop his story and opened the tilma letting the flowers fall out. But it wasn't the beautiful roses that caused the bishop and his advisors to fall to their knees; for there, on the tilma, was a picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary precisely as Juan had described her. The next day, after showing the Tilma at the Cathedral, Juan took the bishop to the spot where he first met Mary. He then returned to his village where he met his uncle who was completely cured. His uncle told him he had met a young woman, surrounded by a soft light, who told him that she had just sent his nephew to Tenochtitlan with a picture of herself. She told his uncle:

"Call me and call my image Santa Maria de Guadalupe".
It's believed that the word Guadalupe was actually a Spanish mis-translation of the local Aztec dialect. The word that Mary probably used was Coatlallope which means "one who treads on snakes"! Within six years of this apparition, six million Aztecs had converted to Catholicism. The tilma shows Mary as the God-bearer - she is pregnant with her Divine Son. Since the time the tilma was first impressed with a picture of the Mother of God, it has been subject to a variety of environmental hazards including smoke from fires and candles, water from floods and torrential downpours and, in 1921, a bomb which was planted by anti-clerical forces on an altar under it. There was also a cast-iron cross next to the tilma and when the bomb exploded, the cross was twisted out of shape, the marble altar rail was heavily damaged and the tilma was...untouched! Indeed, no one was injured in the Church despite the damage that occurred to a large part of the altar structure.

In 1977, the tilma was examined using infrared photography and digital enhancement techniques. Unlike any painting, the tilma shows no sketching or any sign of outline drawn to permit an artist to produce a painting. Further, the very method used to create the image is still unknown. The image is inexplicable in its longevity and method of production. It can be seen today in a large cathedral built to house up to ten thousand worshipers. It is, by far, the most popular religious pilgrimage site in the Western Hemisphere. - http://www.catholic.org/about/guadalupe.php

It is tradition that children dress as indigenous people to represent Juan Diego.

I bought these outfits for them while in Guatemala last year just for this occasion.


These 5 do NOT want to stand still after sitting though an hour-long mass without a nap.


My 4 clowning around.

Three very close friends!


The Little Lady loves her traje!