New home new friends...

If you haven't heard we moved over the new year to a new home in Gilbert. We are enjoying living all on one level. The children are enjoying the ability to make a mess in the home all at once. :)

If you would like a "tour" you can see that on my other blog.

With that I will leave you with pictures from my phone of the kids. Playing kitchen complete with a restaurant. I am told it is called the Pickle Cafe, if you want to make a reservation.

Family Pics 2011

We got our annual family pictures this year by Whitney! Here are some of our favorites!

Christmas 2011

Things have been crazy here! Busy busy busy with life! In the middle of all that we've had the holidays!

Enjoy these pics of Christmas!

I can't believe these are the only pictures I took all day!! We had to hurry after this and eat so we could get to church on time! Hope you all had a wonderful CHRISTmas!

30 days of thanksgiving...

On facebook I decided to post something every day of November that I was grateful for. Here is the list. Hope everyday you are discovering something new to be grateful for!


1 I am thankful for great food! Like this I made tonight, try it out!

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2006/10/sweet-potato-black-bean-enchiladas.html

2 I am thankful for music from the 40's! Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Glenn Miller, Bing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters and more! I have been on a 40's kick lately, and I love the fun and the quirkiness of some of the music then. Plus it is helping Gabi to recognize the different instruments because you can actually hear them featured!

Here is a fun one I heard the other day, so cute! Rhode Island Is Famous For You- Blossom Dearie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig2daWp-Pls

And this one just for the season....Everybody Eats When They Come To My House- Cab Calloway

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvkCEEj4I2s

3 I am thankful for the way paint can change a room! It is always amazing to me, and so many people don't do it! Here is a great example from one of the design blogs I follow

http://emilyaclark.blogspot.com/2011/08/from-brown-to-bright-story-of-painted.html

4 I am thankful for my wonderful curly hair! If you are local go check out!
They will give you a curly cut that will blow you away! They also can do appointments to teach you just how to style/treat your curls so they will always be amazing!
http://curlsgonewild.net/Index.html

5 I am thankful that I know my energy type, my husband, and my kids. Knowing that I am a different energy type than my daughter has made all the difference! Thanks Carol Tuttle!

Interested in your energy type? Find out here... http://anniev.myenergyprofile.com/

6 I am thankful for gardening! I remember loving to watch my Grandpa ( Claudio Villalobos) in the garden. It was always fun to eat a meal straight from the garden! My Dad ( Stan Villalobos) loves his basil plant, and makes a mean pesto. I can't wait to get a garden together at our home and make similar memories with my kids.

7 I am thankful for green smoothies. We have been working on a whole foods lifestyle and green smoothies are the first step! My husband and I both love them. Our children devour them!

Want to know more? Check out http://www.greensmoothiegirl.com/

8 I am thankful for travel! I love to explore new places, try new foods, and make new memories! Here's to getting more stamps in your passport, or just falling in love again with the city you live in!

9 I am thankful for T-tapp. I am still a newbie at it but I love how it makes me feel!. See more and try it out for yourself at http://t-tapp.com/

10 I am thankful for laughter. I love people who make me laugh. Love the sound of laughter, if you've got a weird laugh even better!

Here is one of my favorite shows, I Love Lucy....entitled the longest laugh ever!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr7jcdqIi08


11 I am thankful for veterans, like Claudio Villalobos (WWII). Thank you for your dedication,service and sacrifice.

12 I am thankful for dinner around the table. I remember having it growing up, and I love having it with my family now. It doesn't matter if everyone can make it every night, but the fact that you do have it matters!

13 I am thankful for my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are also known as Mormons. Jesus Christ, His life, His teachings, & His atonement are the foundation of my religion. If you would like to know more please check out http://lds.org/, http://mormon.org/, or ask me.

14 I am thankful for a cozy comforter, clean, soft sheets, and a soft, cool pillow. There is nothing more relaxing than a comfy bed at the end of the day. AHHHHH!

15 I am thankful for classical music. Here is one of my favorite pieces for strings. Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis - Ralph Vaughan Williams
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbzxhZT6akk
Thanks Ellen McCurdy for introducing it to us, it is truly magical.

16 I am thankful for handwritten notes. Everyone likes to go to the mailbox and see something with their name on it! Email and texing are great but nothing beats a handwritten note! Send one to someone today!

17 I am thankful for the ability I have to gain a formal education in whatever I choose. For all the wonderful, selfless teachers I have had, and will have; and for the continuing education we all have in the school of life.

18 I am thankful for things that sparkle, from the stars, jewelry, to your smile! Here is one of my favorite pictures that I took of something sparklie.

19 I am thankful for sharp knives when cooking, makes things sooo much faster and, easier! My favorite are Wüsthof classic. Maybe Santa will see this post? ;)

20 I am thankful for knowing how to dress my truth. Having the outside match the inside makes all the difference!

Learn more at http://AnnieV.dressingyourtruth.com/

21 I am thankful for technology! The things we are able to do now is amazing. Thanks to all those who work on and invent things that make our lives easier!

22 I am thankful for concert band/wind ensemble music. This link isn't for the band version, but I still remember when I heard this for the first time...it is so hauntingly beautiful. Thanks Bill Richardson for introducing it to us. We played so many wonderful pieces. Maurice Ravel - Pavane for Dead Princess
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKkeDqJBlK8

23 I am thankful for the ability I have to be a stay at home mom. It is wonderful that my kids know they can always count on me, and I get to see them grow and develop each day. Thanks Jack!

24 I am thankful for a comfortable home. It is nice to have somewhere warm/cool, beautiful, and sometimes clean, to live in and come home to. It will be fun to see how our new house develops into a home. (We are moving!)

25 I am thankful for wonderful family and friends to share my life with! Hugs to all!

26 I am thankful for my wonderful grandparents, and for the wonderful grandparents to my kids!

27 I am thankful to have been born of "goodly parents". I believe we chose our parents, and I have great ones! Stan and Martha you are the best parents!

28 I am thankful for my wonderful, supportive, amazing husband! Love you Jack!

29 I am thankful for my beautiful, amazing children. They complete my life in ways I never could have imagined. I am grateful to be their mother.

30 Today on the last day of November, as we enter the Christmas season, I am thankful for my Redeemer, Savior, and friend Jesus Christ.

Hope you enjoyed it! Everyday there is something to be thankful for, find something new today!

Halloween

We had an easygoing and fun Halloween. Gabi celebrated at her preschool.  

She was so excited about being a s-p-o-o-k-y skeleton!

All ready for the big evening!

Happy Halloween!!!

Stings and things...

So this weekend was pretty eventful, and aside from a few things I would not care to experience this again! On Friday 9/23 Ezra tripped and fell into the wood coffee table and split his forehead open. We didn't know know if he needed stitches or not so we took him to an urgent care that could do them if needed. He ended up not needing stitches, just glue. Ezra was such a good sport!

He just wanted his daddy to hold him. 

Until it was all over, then only mommy would do.

That evening we went to the football game at Corona del Sol. It was the kids first time and they loved it!

Gabi absolutely adored the pommies and cheerleaders! 

She insisted on taking a pictures of them. (with mommy's help of course)

Sunday seemed normal enough, after sacrament meeting I went to teach my class for the 12-13 year olds. Jack took Gabi to her class and then practiced walking with Ezra down the halls. As the neared the doors to the chapel Ezra bent down to pick something up from the floor. As Jack looked closer to see what it was, he suddenly realized that it was a scorpion! Ezra let out a whimper as it quickly scurried down his hand and back to the floor. A pediatrician in our ward happened to be standing nearby and, after smashing the little demon, instructed Jack to get him to the hospital right away.

 Jack found me in the classroom and told me we had to go "now!" Before we left, we had someone in the building help us give him a blessing, and we were off. Because neither of us remembered our wallets, we had to stop by the house first. Until this point he seemed fine, crying a little and wimpering but that was it. Luckily, I decided to sit next to him in the back seat.

About a minute after I took this picture, Ezra started vomiting, a lot and often. Then, he started convulsing. His eyes were rapidly shaking back and forth. Then, he had trouble breathing. It was the scariest thing to watch your child go through this and think "My child is going to die". I remember talking to him and saying "keep your eyes open, stay with us". By the time we reached the ER, he wasn't crying much anymore because he couldn't get enough air. He was starting to turn blue. It was very traumatic for everyone involved.

 The ER rushed us in and started working on him right away. They gave him scorpion anti-venom, which made a noticeable change in him almost right away. It took several hours, however before he stopped convulsion completely. I stayed right by him stroking his head, talking to him in his ear and helping to gently hold him so he didn't injure himself during his convulsions. In all, he got five vials of anti-venom. After a night in the pediatric unit for observation, we were on our way with no apparent lasting effects. It was a miracle considering the dire straights he was in. This is something we hope we never have to go through again!

 Here is the actual scorpion. It is a bark scorpion which is very common here in Arizona.

Here is the adorable get well card that Gabi made for Ezra. Thankfully we were in the same ward as my parent and they took Gabi to their home after church and watched her. Thanks a million Mom and Dad!

So cute!