My little monsters...

These are the only pics I could get Bash to take alone. Thats cause I had to promise that I'd make them scary looking. I tried with the spooky eyes and fangs.

TU TU CUTE !

So, last week a sweet friend, Amber, the same one that rescued my sealing dress, invited some ladies over to make tutus for the girls. She picked out the perfect colors and her neighbor, who has a lovely online boutique called Notice me Designs, brought over some ribbon to add embellishment. It was so much fun to say the least and this is what I made. I was a little bummed because all of the other tutus were very neat and pretty and the waistbands were still in perfect shape, mine uh, not so neat and my waistband was super twisted upon completion. However, I'm just kind of impatient when making crafts because I get so exited to see the finished product, plus I was going as fast as I could because Mia was climbing up the stairs and she hasn't figured out that there is nothing behind you to catch your fall except some hard tile. So, I thought this tutu would be perfect for "pumpkin pics".

Countdown is on...

Finally!!! Ok, I think I'm the last sister in the ward to finish these blocks. I used the vinyl and blocks from this years super sat. Christmas blocks because the vinyl only said "Countdown" and Tara Hart had given me left over vinyl from one the year before that said "Countdown til Christmas", so I'm going to get more blocks cut for Christmas. There still dusty from sanding, but I was just trying to decided where to put them. Mom, and anyone else in C.C., if you guys want some let me know and get more wood and vinyl cut. Happy Halloween !

Sealed Together with Love Forever

It finally happened! John and I along with Bash and Mia were sealed in the Housotn Temple on Sat. Oct. 17th. We'd been waiting a whole year for this special day to arrive and thankfully, it happened. It was the perfect weekend with lots of family and friends but best of the overwhelming presence of both the Spirit and those here and beyond the veil. I overheard our Bishop tell my mother in law, "I know angels are rejoicing this day", and I just melted when she responded "I know One in particular". I cannot even begin to describe the emotions that were evoked on that most precious day in the Temple surrounded by Holiness, purity, beauty and love. When our children arrived, as Tara Hart stated "there was not a dry eye in the house". Thank you will never express our gratitude to our church leaders, ward, close friends and family, those who traveled to be here, and just everyone who was a part of our very special day. You all pitched in, (viciously) would be an understatement, with all of your talents and knowledge of how to get this all done. It was a magical day that we will never forget. We love you all!

I'd like to leave you with a letter from Elder Chappell, one of the missionaries who taught me the discussions. I had to take out alot about the actual Temple experience but you'll still feel it, in the rest of his writing.
The best day of this week, wasn't the interview though. It was on Saturday afternoon, when John and America were sealed. Wow. What an incredibly humbing experience. I guess I should start at the begining. Elder Plater and I headed up there saturday morning at around 11. We spent the morning visting all of our old haunts in Eagle Springs, before going to the Rire home at 1. The house was super busy with all of her family down. We talked to them a little, but they were busy getting ready. We rode up to the temple with them, and it was so fun to just be together again, the four of us! We laughed and talked and had a good 30 min drive to the temple. Once there, they went one way, and Elder Plater and I went another. We waited in a separte room with a bunch of Johns family, and members of the Eagle Springs ward. it was so fun to see them again, and chat with them. I was surprised at how they remembered us! Eventually a little latin lady came into the room and asked the witnesses to come with her please. Well, that was Elder Plater and I, so we followed her through some corridors in the temple until we got to an office. Eventually, President Steuart, the sealer, came in and talked with us for a minute. We signed their marriage certificate. Wow, what an honor! We were then lead into the sealing room, and Plater and I had a few minutes alone in that sacred room to think about the long journey there. I turned to him and said, "this is the part of the fairy tale where one of us says something really deep and profound" neither of us came up with anything, and soon the rest of the guests came in. It was really amazing seeing all my old friends in the temple. It forms a bond, you know? Well, then John and America walked in, wearing temple clothes, and that was about more than i could take. Pres. Stewart talked to them for a minute, then performed the cermony, it seems like an understatement to say the spirit was strong. Then he asked that Sebastion and baby Mia be brought in. He warned us that they might look differnt, or seem diffrent here in the temple. And he was right. Mia was a perfect angel, and was right at home. She didnt cry or anything. He sealed them together, then they just stood there while he spoke to them as an eternal family. Thats when i really felt the veil lift, thats when i was so acutely aware of God's awareness of us individually, and i felt a unique spirit like i've never felt before. I think i might kind of understand i some small way what the celestial kingdom feels like. It feels like a family. A family that never has to say goodbye. Bro. Steuart then asked all the guests to file by and congratulate them. Where Elder Plater and I sat, as the witnesses, we were the last ones out, and we shared a tender moment alone with them. I'll never forget the way i felt in that room. I'll never forget the love that i have for the Ririe family. "...how great shall be your joy?"

I love you all, and I love this Eternal Gospel, and the incredible power of the priesthood.

Elder Andrew Chappell

Photos done by none other than the fantabulous Kelsy Call!

Withces shoes...

So, we have one sister left to visit teach and she recently had a birthday, so I made her this special treat to incorporate into the lesson.  I found this template on Skip to my Lou for witches shoes, then added candy and and a card that says "Witch way will you nuture the rising generation". There are so many other things you can do with this template though. I was thinking about using them as party favors for Mia's 1st birtday, we may do a Wizard of Oz theme or Alice in Wonderland tea party so I could do a 'Dorothy slipper' or 'Queen of Hearts' slipper. Oh, and let's not forget teachers, I know a few on the Timbers faculty that will be getting these. So, if you still have someone to VT take them one, I think they'd like it.

Happy Halloween 2009

It's that time again! Get yours Jib Jabs on and and pass them along!

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Slight oversight....OOOPS !

So, not sure if it was the down poor as we left Kingwood or just the stress of everything I have piled on top of my brain, but silly me, threw Mia in her car seat and forgot to buckle her in. Yep, just ran around to my side and drove off. So, I'm driving over the bridge on West Lake Houston and I see something in my rear view, I turn around and see this:

She's just bouncing up and down, babbling, laughing, and having a ball. I can't imagine what all of the other cars passing me were thinking. I get the award for goofiest mom for sure!

Calling all Descendants (Villarreals in particular) you know who are, or do you?

So the issue has come up a whole lot lately, concerning the younger generations of our family tree and our willingness and ability to be able to carry on the extensive geneological work that has been done for us by a few hardworking and proud members of our family. It was proposed after much thought, by Verna and Mando, that we should finally stop TALKING and start DOING. So, they along with Uncle Carlos, created a family website, in hopes that we will be able to compile and share pictures, memories, anicdotes and family history with one another and watch it grow for generations to come. They decided to start with Ignacio and Bernarda (the woman whom my mom is named after), and build from them. So, I challenge all of my relatives, espcially Villarreal, to contribute. Here is a link to the site VillarrealTx.org and an invitation to a scanning party in Corpus Christi, where we can scan and share photos. If you can't make it or don't have access to a scanner call or email me and I will help you find another way to contribute your photos and information. I love and miss you all dearly and I'm hoping that you will all get involved so all of us can learn more about who we are and where we come from.

Sidenote: I know the above pictures make our family look a little "Soprano" ish, I think it was taken at a funeral, so no they were not part of the Mexican Mafia.

SCORE !!!!!!!

Ok as I was searching for a video to add to my last post answering questions about Sealing ceremonies, I came across this website. Its called Mormons Made Simple. I was super cautious before I post it, but as I researched the rest of the site it was totally everything I'd been looking for in the way of something that would simply explain our beliefs and dispell some of the myths that people have heard about the church. I am often not as eloquent as I should be so the videos that this site offers explain everything in such great detail, as simply as possible. PLEASE check it out when you get a chance, it's fantasic !

More Q & A...

I guess as the date is approaching, I'm getting flooded with emails, phone calls, and questions. So, I'll attempt to answer them.

Question:

Are you getting married again?

Answer: No, we are already married, however, because we had not converted to the Mormon religion we were not Sealed. So we are going to the temple now to fulfill this ordinance. A Sealing is an ordinance performed in the temple eternally uniting a husband and wife and their children. If we had already been Mormon when we got married the Sealing would have served both the civil part and the Sealing together, they do not have to do both. We are honored to be able to now worthily possess temple recommends. You can learn more by clicking here. Or watching this video:

Question:

Can anyone get sealed in the temple?

Answer: Yes, as long as they've been baptized as a LDS, truly have faith in the Mormon church, worthily fulfill all of the covenants, and after a year of this, with the proper authorities recommendation, they can.

Question:

Did you guys register anywhere?

Answer: Well, being that we have already been married a year we didn't do a " bridal registry", however, since we got married in Puerto Rico, and never really had the opportunity to have a reception, I registered at Villeroy and Boch for the Audun Chasse pattern. I never got to pick out a china pattern so now I did. John says from now on he'll get me a piece or two when a special occasion comes up and we can build our set up that way. You can check it out by clicking on Villeroy and Boch above.

Well I hope this helps! Thanks for all the well wishes and questions!

Get ready to Salsalate and Cumbialate!

I've been asked a few times if there is going to be any dancing on Sat Oct. 17th. Seriously, a Cuban family and a Mexican family combined, Need you ask? So put on your dancing shoes and turn up your SPEAKERS and get a little taste of what's to come!