Sea World Weekend

So we had a 4 day weekend and decided to take full advantage of it. We have a friend who was the best man in our wedding who works at Sea World. He has affectionately been renamed "Penguin Man". Penguin Man, aka Josh, was able to get us three passes to Sea World, so off we went. The kids were excited, Jeffrey has been a few times before, but Alexis has not.

We decided to sandwich the trip with a visit to HB as well. The kids were excited and they even decided not to fight.

No matter how many times I go, I love it. There is something to seeing these beautiful creatures in their environment, and seeing them interact with humans. While I am SCARED TO DEATH about seeing whales through the looking glass, I refuse to let me kids be scared.

My kids have me completely confused - what I thought they would find fun, they did not like. What I thought they might find boring, they loved. Hmph. I thought they would love the tide pool... eh, not so much.

Alexis was not so fond of putting her hands in the cold water. Once she held the fish, she wanted to chuck it!

This was the only picture I could get in. Jeff did not want to be part of the shot.

The kids did not nap, and had a late dinner. It almost made for a bad combination, but we survived. It makes me laugh that they completely crash... together. They have done this a few times before. They drive me crazy, but at the end of the day... with them asleep, clutching their souvenirs, it makes it all worth it.

Family Visit to Disneyland

I have come to the conclusion that life continues and that's okay. Your experiences should shape the person you are and become, not let them hinder you.

Jeff recently got his pass. As I am becoming a baseball widow pretty early in the season, we are determined to use it. So the four of us, and about ten others joined the party. It was bittersweet as we used to do this with Tita, but I am sure that she was smiling down on us.

Some of the 14... Jeffrey and Karina - Jeffrey driving. Not sure why Karina is smiling ;p Aly and I

Bear, Kristina, and Alexis
I have seen many things at Disneyland... trams almost crashing, the inside of Matterhorn, breaking down on Roger Rabbit, people falling out of the tram, but this was a first. A PUPPY on Autopia?!?!?

Jeffrey in Mickey's house

Alexis, Aly, and Jeffrey

Due to Aly's schedule, and ours it is very hard to do things with her outside of family events. I was happy to know her schedule was clear and she was able to go with us.

I'm back...

It's been a long while, almost two months, but I think I'm back. There has been so much going on and I have not been able to keep up.

I will say this much. Our family is healing...slowly, but healing nonetheless. I equate this to having a scab. You move around, and go on with life. But if you move the wrong way, the scab busts opens, and bleeds once again. Eventually this scab will turn in to a scar. It may no longer hurt, but you see it and remember what happened.

In the next weeks I'll try and catch up.

Tita

On July 7, 2010 my Tita passed away with the family that she loved and created by her side. We lost a matriarch/mother/grandmother/great-grandmother; Heaven gained an angel. While there are many details I'd like to share, I just can't. Words cannot express the love that I have/had for her. It has been two weeks that she's passed, and yet this is the first I can write of it. The post following this is a slideshow tribute to her. Below is what I read at her Rosary/Viewing.

Good evening. On behalf of the Trujillo family, I’d like to thank you for coming to pay your respects and support our family during this difficult time.

I am Kathy Ponce Kavanagh, Maria’s granddaughter, and mother to 2 of her great-grandchildren.

To say that I’ve lost just a Grandmother is a complete understatement. In some families, a grandmother is a person whom you solely visit on the holidays. That is not the case with this family.

I had the unique opportunity to be watched by my Tita when I was little. I remember her always cleaning, doing laundry, and when it was done, we’d get to go out to just about every store known to man. Swapmeets, Kmart, Zody’s, Sir George’s buffet – it didn’t matter. She liked to go out and take us along.

I have fond memories of that time; her letting me get a bag of M&M’s and open them and begin eating them before we’d pay. Looking back from a parent perspective, I’m not sure if she’d do it to keep me quiet, or to make me happy. Either way, I’ll remember it fondly. When I’d wake up for a nap, she’d have my lunch ready. I could do just about anything I wanted. I was always happy, clean, not always matching, and shiny from the cream she’d put on my face.

My Tita was always very giving – she’d buy small gifts for everyone. Whether it was socks, shirts, ribbons, bows, and the infamous ruffled chonies. I will say this much, the woman had a thing for ruffles.

Tita would come to any event you’d invite her to; birthday parties, t-ball/softball/soccer games, school concerts. She’d go, sit, and smile.

As we got older we got to go and do more places with her. We would go to Disneyland – rain or shine- and to Vegas. I clearly remember in Vegas that we’d be in line for the buffet and Tita would have her cane in one hand, and a Corona in the other. At times she’d focus solely on the Corona, and leave the cane behind.

In 2002, everything changed as my Tita suffered a stroke that left her right side paralyzed. Looking back, I’m not sure just how hard this was for her. She had to learn to do everything with her left hand, and get used to others helping her.

It was at this time that I witnessed first hand the sacrifices my Nino Raul, Uncle Jimmy, Mom, and the rest of my Aunts and Uncles had to make. They will tell you that they would do it all over again in a heartbeat, but I’m not sure if anyone else knew of their sacrifices.

Tita’s stroke never stopped her, or us, from enjoying life. She still continued doing things with us and enjoying our company. She still went to Disneyland, and Vegas, but it just took more planning and more work. It was these times that the family took advantage of the time we had left with her.

I’ve been told by various family members that my Tita was a tad bit bossy, very decisive, and ruled with an iron hand. I never personally experienced this as her grandchildren could do just about anything they wanted. Her grandchildren could do no wrong, and her great-grandchildren could do just about anything short of burning down the house. They could play with fake fruit, push her around in the wheelchair, anything they wanted. She enjoyed having them at her house and making her laugh.

My Tita is sorry she could not be here. She’s sorry that she will not see anymore grandchildren get married, witnessing births, or enjoy any more birthdays, but she has given us all she’s had. It is now time to take her example of adapting and enjoying life to its’ fullest.

I, like many of you, will miss my Tita. But remember you will not have to look far. You can look at any one of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and see her. In us you can see her loves of entertaining others, cooking, and enjoying the daily chiseee3me. We are her legacy and we will carry her spirit on.

Tita- te quiero mucho, and nunca te olvidera.

4th of July

This year we opted not to go to the parade. We decided to kick back and take it easy.

We began the day at Doug & Heidi's swimming. Lexi attempted to take a nap, while I watched my dad attempted to play bartender. Most people bartend in the kitchen, my dad decided to make his masterpiece in the garage.

Miss Lexi Kendyl getting ready to swim

Mr. Jeffrey James ready for the pool. The only thing he is missing is nose plugs : 0

Lexi in the pool

After swimming we went to my Tita's house to have tacos made by my Nino and Polo. I think we were the only people eating tacos on 4th of July. We had a great time. My Aunt Sonia brought her LCR game, which we made into a drinking game.

Everyone was there. My Tita was there in the middle of it, having fun, and watching her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren have a grand ol' time at her house.

We ended the night by doing fireworks. Some people in surrounding neighborhoods were doing the major illegal fireworks, you know the ones. The ones that rival Disneyland. Alexis saw one that was so big that it dumped in my parents yard. That was it, she wanted no part from that point on. While Lexi may not have enjoyed the fireworks, my mom did.

She really enjoyed the sparklers. Here she is with Jeffrey enjoying the sparklers.

All in all, it was a great 4th of July. We were surrounded by family and friends, all while having a blast.

Stitchy in da house!!!

The kids have wanted to have Stitch visit for the longest time.

We often give Stitch aka Stitchyroni, Chi-Chi, a hard time. Let's put it this way... if he was a boxer, he'd be in the heavyweight division. Also, since I've moved out of the house, he's become soft - he has a cat-like attitude about him. Aaron put it best... "Fozzy knows his place. He sleeps at the foot of the bed... because he knows he's a dog. Stitch sleeps on my pillow because he thinks he's ME!"

Everytime we would try to 'kidnap' him, but my mom and dad would force us to take him out of the car.

Here are some of the reasons we could not take him:

'He'll melt' - okay true, but we have the a/c

'Someone will take him' - if he doesn't leave the a/c we don't have to worry about him.

'He'll miss us' - quite possibly the only valid point, but he's still eating and playing.

'You know Kristina will cry about it.' True, but if she's on her Honeymoon she'll never know.

Once Kristina got married, they were outvoted. Stitchy has been visiting. He has not been his usual self...

He loves it! He has been playing and acting puppy like. He loves the kids and has gone quite a few places. He loves sleeping in Jeffrey's room because he's realized that it's the coolest room in the house. He'll go in Lexi's room till she's asleep, paw his way out when she's asleep, and then move to Jeffrey's room till he's down.

It's been a lot of fun. The best part about Stitch is that he's great at posing. The only problem is I may have created a monster.

Perhaps Aaron will let us have another one?

Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Wurts

On Saturday, June 26th Kristina and Bear were married.
It was a joyous occasion and the whole family was part of it. Like we need another excuse to party, right?

The day was so much fun for most, stressful for me. Aaron, Jeff, Lexi and I were fortunate to be part of it in one way or another. Aaron got to walk my mom down the aisle. I couldn't get that shot as I was in the bride's room., Jeff & Lexi were the ring bearer and flower girl, and me- the maid of honor.

The ceremony was beautiful. The only hitch, besides the hitchin', was the Alexis would not and did not walk down the aisle. I had to carry her and then the little 'angel' decided she would not go with Aaron. So I had to walk up the stage with her and the best man. Here is what was supposed to have happened... Here is what actually happened I believe the caption would be, "Aaron put down the damn camera and take the baby!"

My dad walking his youngest daughter down the aisle

Me watching/crying as she's coming down the aisle

Walking in as Mr. & Mrs. Wurts

The night was great. We danced the night away and celebrated the beginning of a beautiful future. The DJ was awesome and we had a blast dancing the night away. I wish I would've gotten more pictures but while I was running around, Aaron was chasing the kids. The cake cutting. These pictures will have to do for now, but I can't wait to see the other shots people got. Jeff with his Tia Kristi The first dance Congrats to you both. We love you and wish you nothing but the best, now and always!

Mother's Day & Daddy/Grandpa Ponce's Birthday

I was wondering where these pictures went and apparently they hadn't gone very far.

Since Mother's day and Grandparent's birthdays fall right at the end of the season it's a little hard to make every event.

Here are some pictures from Mother's Day. The day was great as I was able to sleep in and relax. We spent the day at my parents' house. We had a nice little family bbq and celebrated my dad's birthday as well. A week late, but it's the thought that counts, right? ; )

The Ponce*Kavanagh*Wurts Clan!

Wordless Wednesday- It's Bathing Suit Season!

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