D big 8!

Yeap, David is 8 years old today!! 

Looks like someone is going to Lego Land.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SON!!

WE LOVE YOU,

DADDY, MAMA, SOPH, & LIL BROTHER

Cookies for Santa

(Before)

... and celery sticks for Rudolf (more carrots and celery sticks for the rest of the gang at the front yard). 

Well, Christmas celebration has already begun.  We had the traditional Christmas Eve family get-together at my parents.  Tons of food, presents, and fun!  I'll post pictures of those later.

(After)

Looks like Santa came by already!  And oh boy is she, I mean he, full!  :)

Merry Christmas everyone!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROTHER JESUS!!!

21 Again!

Little David thinks his dad is 24yo today.  That works 'cause that would mean that I'm 21yo!!  Sounds great to me!!!  ..hehehe...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY LOVE!

MAHAL NA MAHAL KITA!!!

Bummer... we were suppose to go to Sea World today but it is still raining cats and dogs!

Plan B ... just don't know what that is at the moment.  :)

Christmas Letter 2010

I wasn't prepared enough and just didn't get to send Christmas cards this year.  Forgive me.  In lieu, the following is a Christmas letter that you should have gotten by mail had I been on the ball!  ~Kicking myself also that I didn't get a Christmas picture!  Call me slacker!!  :(

December 2010


Our Beloved Family and Friends,

We are glad to report that this year has been very good. We are healthy, happy, and together. Okay, that about sums it all. Merry Christmas!!

All right, maybe just a little more …

Whoohoo!! Dave did get the online teaching job we mentioned last year, so we now have a university professor in the house! He enjoys it and is doing very well according to administrators and student comments . Hence, this eventually lead him to drop teaching at ITT (which bummed them because he was highly favored by students). This is something fun for him, so he is still a full time peace officer. But you know Dave by now, he is physically active too. He still teaches judo weekly, maintains our foliage-full yard, and runs many errands to fulfill the law related questions that comes his way. Oh, and his “Fight Like A Girl” self defense program was accepted by the Girls Scout so he’s got that on his plate. He just doesn’t miss a beat! Yet, above all he is an amazing husband and father. The very best that they come!

This year has been eventful for Jinky. She got bitten by the reading bug in February and has since been a bookworm. She maintains a book blog that records her reviews of the books she read and have discovered an amazing community of book bloggers. She joined Goodreads in July and enjoys her Filipino group there. She continues to keep up to date with family and friends through Facebook. Thank goodness for computers and Internet or she’d be lost. Moreover, she loves her calling in church as a nursery leader assistant because she gets to spend time with adorable 18mos to 3 year olds each Sunday, including her own cutie pie, Steven. Spiritually she is active, temple going, and yeay, reading the scriptures daily! Her favorite title of course continues to be mother and wife.

David continues to thrive in his schooling. He is now in second grade and this first term he received straight A’s. He also scored 100% in the State math exam, the only one in his grade, and 93% in the State English language arts exam. He eats like a bird and skinny as a twig but generally healthy so we’re not too worried. He is an awesome example to his siblings. Often generous and a pretty good singer (he actually can hit some of those notes!). He turns 8yo pretty soon so he will begin the new year entering Cub Scouts and getting baptized. David is an overall wonderful young boy and continues to bring smiles to his parents.

Sophia continues to be energetic! Dave and Jinky are pretty mellow so it must be a trait from her ancestors. She sure keeps the household quite fun and lively. Never a dull moment in the house. Funny, her Sunbeam teachers (from church) tell me that she's quiet and shy. One of those things that make you say, hmmm. Anyway, she started pre-school and is loving it. There she doesn’t have to be so reverent so she gets to do what she does best … climbing and jumping. Okay, maybe that’s not what she can do best. She certainly has her dad wrapped around her finger and her mom too for that matter. Sophia is simply a smart and precious little girl.

Steven our baby is adorable as can be! The kind of adorable kid you see on TV that guys use to lure a hot chick. He’s our social butterfly who likes to wave and say hi to people. He is pretty sharp too. He knows his ABC's and numbers up to 12 (then he’s all over the place and ends up yelling 100! Soooo cute!!). He finds enjoyment in mimicking his brother and sister and is pretty good at it. He is growing up so quickly and Jinky can’t help but hug him tight and long in hopes he slows down a bit (not really, but you know what she means). Steven is a great buffer in our clan. Sweet and charming. A true prince!

This year of course we count you as one of our precious blessings. We are grateful for you and sincerely wish you a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!!

Lovingly,

The S. Family

Do you have room? ..for Jesus

This morning I went to my Relief Society's Christmas Brunch and Cookie Exchange.  I had such a lovely time.  The program was inspiritual and a great kick off for this Christmas season.  I especially enjoyed the video they showed and I found it on YouTube so here it is for you to enjoy as well. 

Do You Have Room? by Shawna Edwards

"Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus."

Neal A. Maxwell