Eric just told me today that we need to quit making a jungle gym for the kids to play on because Rawley has started trying to make one at his daycare. Ha! Ha! Poor little guy, he just loves climbing and lining stuff up!

life's little rays of sunshine!

It has been a really rough few months and I've shed a lot of tears, read a lot of scriptures and books, prayed for peace, and carried on with life! The one thing I know for sure is that my Heavenly Father loves me, knows me, knows my sorrows, and he will never desert me. When I'm feeling so down, I try to think of all the blessings in my life as well. My grandchildren are the greatest gift in my life, sweet little angels who have no idea the happiness they bring to me. I love part of this quote from Gordon B. Hinckley, "Life is like an old time rail journey... delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride." I feel like my grandchildren are my beautiful vistas and my thrilling bursts of speed! And I AM thankful!

brooklyn and sienna wanted close ups!

priceless!

love it!

Raylan

beckham

boston

all my grandkids except Noah

we could never get one picture with them all looking up and smiling, but we tried!

finally got Rawley to look up but then Raylan and Beckham looked away. ha! ha!

Catching up!

These are just lots of random pictures from Christmas time. I've been neglectful of my blog! I'm gonna try to do better in the future!

Mandi, Brooklyn and Boston at Brooklyn's school Christmas performance

Bree as Cinderella, with Kristi and Rawley

Mandi and Boston on Christmas Eve

Brooklyn on Christmas Eve

Christmas day chaos!

Eric and Kristi at our family New Years Eve party!

The hubs and me

Sean, Bree and Sienna, I can't believe Sienna stayed up til midnight!

Sienna and Brooklyn Christmas day

We were forbidden to use our fireplace by the government, so the TV yule log had to do!

Baby Cash arrives!

We welcomed baby Cash Adam Estrella into this world on Friday,Dec. 6th, 2013! He weighed 8lbs 4oz. and was born at 11:00 am. Kristi was due Monday, Dec. 2nd, so the doctor induced her on Friday. It was a bit scary because when I came to see Kristi at the hospital and walked into her room, the doctor was checking her and trying to push the umbilical cord back up into the uterus! Kristi's blood pressure had dropped so they had to stabilize her and then the baby's heart rate dropped so when I came in, all this had been going on. The doctor said they needed to do a c-section now! The nurses were ripping everything off of Kristi, monitors etc., and then they literally were running as fast as they could with her down the hall to surgery. Eric was running after them. I didn't know what to do. I started to drive home because Gregg was watching Rawley for me. I got a little ways away from the hospital and had to pull over. I just started crying! I was so scared. I got home and Eric called and told me that the baby was fine and Kristi too. Kristi later told me she was crying all the way to surgery because she was so scared. In the operating room, she heard people saying "we don't have time!" and stuff like that. She said they got the baby out in minutes! They had to do an xray afterwards to make sure they didn't leave any instruments in her because they didn't have time to check them before surgery. It was crazy, but all is well and we have a beautiful baby boy!When I brought Rawley to the hospital to see the baby, he put his hands over his eyes when we walked into the room and he started crying when he saw his mommy. He wouldn't move his hands away from his eyes and he wouldn't stop crying. I had to leave, poor baby, I guess he couldn't figure out what was going on and he missed his mommy and daddy! Once they came home and Rawley was back in his own house he did perfectly fine and barely notices the baby!

ready to leave for the hospital around 5:15 am

sweet little Cash!

new little family!

Kristi looks too good to have just had a baby!

big brother Rawley

grandma and Cash

Rawley found a comfy place to be by mommy

I told him to smile! ha! ha!

The Estrella family, Kristi,Cash,Eric,Rawley and Noah

when trying to get a sibling photo isn't working! ha! ha!

Brooklyn holding her new cousin

Rawley playing hide and seek with grandma! too cute!

Happy Late Birthday to Noah, Nov 13th!

Happy Late birthday to our grandson Noah. He's 7 yrs old and our oldest grandchild! We love you so much and wish you lived closer so we could spend more time with you. Noah is such a happy little boy and fills us with joy!

Kristi and Noah at Disney on Ice

life before Rawley!

Noah is always a happy little guy!

He loves to dance and act crazy!

Happy Late Birthday to Brian, Nov 11th!

I finally figured out how to get back onto this blog. I was having some real trouble! So happy late 36th birthday to my son-in-law Brian. We love you and are so glad you finally have a job that makes you happy and that you enjoy going to every day! We love having you in our family and hope your day was wonderful!

blowin' out the candles on his birthday pumpkin pie!

Boston and Daddy

The Smith Family

love this pic!

Remembering my Dad

Yesterday, Oct. 26th was the 3 year anniversary of Dad's passing. I love my Dad so much for the example he set for me throughout my life. His faithfulness to the gospel of Jesus Christ, set him apart from most men. He was compassionate, loving, honest, hard working, funny, and lived true to his convictions. I am so blessed to be his daughter, and to know that because he kept his temple covenants, we will be reunited some day and be a family forever. I love you Dad. I miss you every day.

Brooklyn loved her great grandpa!

At our favorite place, the Temple

Dad with his favorite hat!

proud of his Navy service!

The greatest teacher!

Dad had the best sense of humor! He loved to laugh!