Happy Birthday, Mami Nacha and Gama!

So this weekend we celebrated my brother-in-law, Gamaliel's 40th birthday. Today is his actual birthday which he shares with his mom. We know her as Mami Nacha.

The Rock Star theme fete was held here at the Casillas Domum. I just learned that word. Domum is Latin for house or dwelling. So now I want to use it in every sentence.

My sister-in-law's did a fantasticfabulicious job of creating this event. All we did was provide the venue. They showed up in the afternoon of the event. Cars replete of boxes holding tons of food, beverage and party wonders. In a matter of a couple of hours they turned our home into a space worthy of the most famous rock stars. And yes, a few of them showed up. Take a looky:

Slash and his daughter, Alyssa.

Tina Turner and Madonna. They were so kind as to provide a little impromptu performance for the guests.

Here is Tina Turner and Madonna again with Joan Jett, Thalia, and the girl from the Raspberry Beret video.

Bret Michaels. No, we didn't ask if the rumors about he and Miley Cyrus' mom were true! Stop that!

Clint Black


Kurt Cobain. Oh yeah, we aint afraid of no ghost.

Cindi Lauper? Er, Punky Brewter? Oh yeah, Ms. Britany!!

Groupies

And for the props and decorations:

Audrey found this fabulous wall decal of Morrison. Beautiful!

Lizard King Bobble Head Cake

A well stocked bar

A Seating area

The VIP Lounge. Xochitl's co-worker made these amazing props out of cardboard!

Candles along the fence for ambiance. Oh darn, I forgot to crop out the beer keg!

This is still on our door today.

It was a fun party. Thanks for turning 40, Gama!

Update on Ederlen:
Thank you to all for your prayers for Ederlen. After 12 hours in surgery yesterday she spent the night in the ICU. I believe that she will still be there through today. Her surgeries went well, praise God. We just have to wait and see now. Please pray for a speedy and uncomplicated recovery for her. God bless you!

BTW: Yesterday morning I was surprised by a delivery of a beautiful flower arrangement from Gama as a token of his appreciation for his party. How sweet!

Blessings,
SC
xoxo

I thank you, Lord!

I made this wreath for our front door. Inspiration was found here.

Isn't it great that this month we have a day on the calendar dedicated to thankfulness?

Yes, I have so much to be thankful for. So rather than bore you, I will only list my top 21.

Yes 21.

I am thankful:

1. for our loving and merciful God.
2. that at this very moment, my sister-in-law, Ederlen, is undergoing surgery (masectomy, reconstruction, and partial removal of liver). This surgery is major and although I wish she would never had needed it, I believe that this will be a defining moment in her journey to becoming cancer-free.
3. for my husband and child. They make me crazy sometimes but I am happy to be crazy for them! Horacio, my love, my rock. Mateo, God's gift. I will never know a greater love than the love I feel for them.
   
4. I am NOT thankful that I got laid-off from my job in January, but I am thankful that in being at home I was able to be here for my parents and brother when they needed me most.
5. for drug treatment centers and the people who work in them. With their help and God's divine intervention, my little brother has a second chance.
6. for my sister, Cari. Although she is the baby, she is such an inspiration to me in so many ways.
7. for my brother, David and his wife Jeanette for their hospitality and willingness to share the burdens of life.
8. for my nieces and nephews. They fill that little empty space in my heart and they quench my longing for more children. I am thankful for their naughtiness because then they make me feel better that I only have one!
9. for my parents and the balance and stability they provide in my life. Especially my mom, my friend, my confidant.
   
10. for my mother-in-law, "Mami Nacha." She is the essence of dignity, humility, and elegance.
11. for my cousins. God's merciful way of providing extended family so that we never have to feel alone.
12. for my aunts, Felipa and Concha for always making me feel like a daughter.
13. for the joy that knitting, crocheting, sewing and crafting bring to my life.
14. for my friends for accepting me and laughing at my silliness.
    
15. for prayer.
16. for God's Word.
17. for nature. There is nothing that makes me feel closer to God than when I am admiring nature and its beauty.
18. for mornings. I love mornings. No matter how bad yesterday was, each morning brings renewal.
19. for forgiveness.
    
20. for unconditional love. There is nothing we can do to merit love. If it not be for unconditional love, we would not know true love.
21. for my faith. Without out, I would not be able to sit here now and be thankful for all of the difficult valleys that I have gone through.

Halloween 2010

Halloween at Scott and Yaret's house:

We have a teenager in the house!

Hi there.

I know it's been a while.

I am bewildered by the fact that our son is now a bonafide teenager. Yikes!!! He is no longer a kid, no longer a tween, but a 13-year-old teenager. When did that happen? Oh the clues were all around me. Not in what was happening but more in what was lacking; no more hand holding, no more requests to be tucked in at night, no more spontaneous kisses and smooches, no more requests for outfits to be picked out, on and on. It didn't happen all at once but before I noticed, all of these things went away.

For those of you, that still have little ones, I know the days seem long and you wonder where you are going to muster all of the energy they seem to take from you, I have one word: Cherish. Cherish the sticky fingers, the untied laces, the crying, the neediness. Before you know it, you too will have a teenager in your house. I am somewhat relieved that I no longer seem to be needed as much but something tells me that my patience will again be called upon during the infamous tumultuous teenage years!

Anyway, enough of the drama and onto something more fun. For his birthday, Mateo wanted a Domo-themed sleepover (though I was not allowed to call it a sleepover or heaven forbid, a slumber party). Being the doting parents (suckers) that we are, we agreed to allow Mateo to invite his friends and some cousins for the shindig. We ended up with about 25 kids camped out in almost all of the rooms of the house! I fed them tons of chocolate and made breakfast for them next day. It was crazy but fun. I think I have finally recuperated!

The dessert table

Party favors

Chocolate rice crispy treats made with chocolate marshmallows
then dipped in milk chocolate

Oreo cookie cake

Mateo picked out a recipe for his cake months ago and didn't let me forget it. It is called Recipe 66 from Max Brenner's book, "Chocolate A Love Story". Cari gave me this book for Christmas. I absolutely adore this book and so far, every recipe I have made from it has been fabulous. This cake came out really moist and chocolaty delicious! I also made the chocolate pizza from this book but forgot to take a picture of it.

Mateo and his cake

I made him a Domo pillow and a helmet (pictured below).

For fun, I put out an assortment of mustaches and mouths for the kids to use for pictures. I made them out of felt then glued them to card stock paper and then glued them to bamboo skewer sticks.

I tried but couldn't get all of the kids in the picture!

The next morning. Are they still playing X-box?

Are they still playing DS?

Pals and cousins for ever!

Happy Birthday, Mateo.

We love you. May God fill you with His grace and lead you in your journey!
Mom and Dad