To my lovely wife Vanessa...by Salomon

Sweetheart......I want to let you know this day how much I love you and how much you mean to me. I'll never forget the first time I saw you, you were so beautiful and today you are even more beautiful. Being together all these years has been an amazing experience, filled with many wonderful memories, beautiful moments and at the same time with many challenges and difficult situations. But all these things happen for a reason, and it's to help us grow, to regain or focus and to be happy. Please know that my love for you is stronger every day, there is no doubt in my heart that we meant to be together. I thank my Heavenly Father for the beautiful and precious eternal companion he has given me. Forgive me for my imperfections as I strive to be the man you need. Thank you for all your love, your dedication, your care and your commitment to us.

I LOVE YOU FOREVER AND EVER............

Christmas Eve

In Salomon's family Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Eve, and so we went to his parents house for dinner and gifts that night. We had a wonderful meal together followed by exchanging the gifts we had gotten one another. It was a nice evening spent together to help celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. *note... Liane's super cute dress we got on Olvera Street in Los Angeles... too cute.

Also, we really did not do much of anything on Christmas day... we typically would do something with my family that day, but they were all in CA still and so we decided to just spend the day relaxing at home together. (the weather was bad ( well not bad, I love the snow and was grateful for a white Christmas) that day too, so it was nice to be home).

Neighbors

Ok so long story short, but we had a big snow storm yesterday and I had to go out and shovel the snow from not only our driveway and sidewalk, but my parents house as well (they are still in CA, but some were coming home last night and would need to be able to get a car into the driveway). This was a HUGE task since it was just little ol' me (ok Liane too, but she wasnt much help in the snow shoveling department... she was however super cute!) I busted out the shovel and got to work, but wanted to cry when I saw just how much snow had accumulated... about 1-2 feet of snow. I didnt know how I was going to do it, but I got started anyway and after about an hour worth of work (which looks like I did nothing!) a neighbor saw me and came out with his snow plow and took care of my parents house (which I was working on at the time) and then finished his own... when he then saw that I had moved on to shovel my house, he came over and told me to go relax and he would take care of it... in the meantime another neighbor who had seem me shoveling my driveway got his snow plow out to help me as well, but then saw that I was already being helped. Such nice men! I am so blessed to have such wonderful neighbors!! Thank you SOOOOO much!! Here are some pics of the measly work that I performed by hand... Oh and sweet little Liane too!

Cali trip!

Ah yes, the long awaited trip to California with my family... here are some pics from the festivities... Grand Central Market - Los Angeles (friday)
Olvera Street (friday... this was the end of our happy first day in Cali... for it was SHATTERED by the proceeding 4 HOURS of traffic we sat in... nightmare to say the least... I dont miss that!!)

The cousins playing on the luggage cart (sunday)

Visits from Stacey, Joe and Mason (Stacey and I have been friends since 2nd grade!), and Kari and Amanda on Sunday... thanks again everyone for coming to see us!!

Disneyland... in the rain (just for a little bit)... whats my luck with Disney this year?? Flashbacks to Magic Kingdom back in August...

Liane loving the Disney characters!!

Friend get together... these are my Elementary School friends... all of us did everything together! Ah the sleepovers!! Our poor moms!! We have not seen each other in 14 years!! Thanks so much girls for making it possible for us all to get together... sooooo good to see you all again!! My how we have all grown up... kids and all.

Ward Christmas Party (Im catching up on old things....)

Here we are at the ward Christmas Party on Dec 13th... yes, as you can see, Liane was not really diggin' the whole Santa thing (which I expected really)... we tried though... maybe next year??

32 Christmas'...

This Christmas marks the 32nd Christmas I have had ( yes, and therefore my 32nd Birthday as well). A few Christmas' I remember, and like many, most I do not - not the details anyway. I remember one's from my childhood when I got a special toy or item that I had really been hoping for (dolls, jewelry, plain white t-shirts with a box of puffy paints to decorate them with, my Raggedy Ann and Andy toy box, etc...)...one's filled with excitement to go to my Aunt's house and see my cousins... one's full of plenty, and one's a bit more simple... one's filled with joy, happiness, good food, friends and family, and one's where everything didnt go quite as planned.

Now being a mother, I have the blessing of seeing Christmas again through a child's eyes and I have watched how the meaning of Christmas (or rather the way I want to celebrate Christmas) has changed. Christmas has always had the same meaning to me (ok besides when I was a child and didnt know the difference)... it is to celebrate Christ's birth. As far as what I do on Christmas, what gifts I give, how much time I spend shopping for that "perfect gift", what I hope for, and where I place my focus and energy during the holiday season is changing drastically for me. For me during Christmas, (and really in all aspects of my life) I am trying to simplify and minimize the drama in it. I guess I am beginning to put two and two together... if the real meaning of Christmas is to celebrate Christ's birth, then the gifts we give, the time we spend, the activities we do, should all be centered around that to then right? So why do I stress about finding that perfect gift or spend wasted energy in the long lines in stores for it, when in the end, the gift is appreciated, but in the following days, months, years it will be forgotten. Now dont get me wrong... gifts are nice and fun and absolutely a wonderful way to express love and appreciation... Im just questioning the need to impress, over spend, and out do...

Bottom line... for me, as I get older and wiser ( I hope), I want to give something simple and meaningful. Something with thought, heartfelt, and sincere, and the best part is, it doesnt have to cost a lot of money or time. Quality time with loved ones, a phone call, a letter of appreciation or love, bearing of one's testimony, something homemade or sentimental, service. These are the things that will last and be remembered and cherished forever. Something given/done out of pure love.

I hope this Christmas has been wonderful for all... I have a new desire and determination to bring the real "reason for the season" into what I do on Christmas from now on.

I'm on a break!!

The long awaited trip to California is here and we are leaving on an airplane bright and early in the morning! We will be meeting up with my family who is driving there... stay tuned for pics of all the festivities!! C ya!

Thank you Liane today for...

Thank you sugar for being so good today. Thank you for playing so nicely while mommy had to bake what felt like 5000 cookies for the Cookie Exchange she had to go to tonight. Thank you for holding out the 2.5 hours it took me to do so! Thank you for tasting my cookies and liking them - at least the first one you tried (the second one was rolled over by your toy car repeatedly and therefore broken into many little pieces that I had to clean up, but I was grateful to do so since it meant that I had to stop what I was doing and come down to the floor and spend some one on one time with you). Thank you for taking a nap this morning which meant that I could eat a bagel, take a shower, check my email, print off the recipe for and bag the 5000 cookies for tonight. Thank you for again being so amazing while you ate all of your yummy lunch mommy made you so that you can grow up healthy and strong, but also that allowed me to then start on the dinner that I had to make for Grandma/Grandpa Cano, Aunt Lilly/Uncle Carlos, Daddy, Mommy and you. Thank you for coming into the kitchen with me -since I couldn't come to the living room with you- to spend time with me and go through all of the pots and pans and spices that you could get your sweet little hands on. Thank you for the mess that I once again got to clean up since that meant that I could take another welcome break (you know, your mommy has a hard time stopping once she gets started and you sometimes need to help mommy remember to take a breather every once and a while). Thank you for being such a trooper as mommy finished the soup, lasagna and dishes for what felt like the 10th time. I think mommy lost a layer of skin today on her hands from the 1000 times she washed them. Thank you for wanting to hold my hand anyway. Thank you for getting so excited and yelling "yeeeeaaaaahhhh" when I asked you if you wanted to go outside and check the mail with me. Thank you for reminding mommy that it is the simple things that can bring such joy and happiness. Thank you for playing outside with mommy and helping bring the trashcans up for daddy. Thank you for taking another nap today that made it possible for mommy to clean up and eat a quick lunch. Thank you after all of this craziness today, for letting mommy go to the temple with daddy while Grandma Cano watched you. Thank you for being such a good girl for your Grandparents. You make it possible for daddy and I to go to the temple weekly, and if I can teach you nothing else, I hope I can teach you the supreme importance of attending the temple as often as you can. And if that was not enough for you to do for mommy today, thank you for again letting mommy leave and go to the Cookie Exchange. I know you wanted mommy to stay and hold you and trust me sugar, I wanted to do the same, but you see, I made 5000 cookies today that needed to leave our home immediately and I had to go. Thank you for being so good even though you were tired and ready for bed. Thank you for waiting up for me and for the sweet smile you get when I walk in the door. Thank you for the simple little "up" you say when I come upstairs after being gone. Thank you for laying your head on my shoulder and hugging me when I come home and pick you up. Thank you for wanting to be close to me. Thank you for being so fantastic at going to bed and falling asleep. Thank you for sleeping through the night. Thank you mostly for loving me, trusting me, and for being the most amazing daughter any mommy could have!! I love you with all of my heart and soul and will for all eternity (and thats a long time!! :-) I love you Liane!! xoxo

Jake & Ashlee Are Engaged!!

Aww... My lil' bro is engaged!! December 6th was the date and Ensign Peak was the place. Congrats to he and Ashlee!! I love you!!

Spanish Christmas Concert & Temple Square

On Saturday we went to downtown Salt Lake City (Temple Square) to see Salomon's parents and sister perform in the Recibid al Rey concert ( a Christmas concert in spanish). It was a beautiful concert and we had a wonderful time with his family. After the concert we ate a late lunch together and then Salomon, Liane and I spent some time enjoying the lights on Temple Square... absolutly gorgeous!! Here are some pics from the days festivities... Inside the Tabernacle and after the show

Mommy, Daddy & Liane

The gorgeous lights!!

Festival of Trees

My mom, Liane and I went to the annual Festival of Trees here in UT thanks to my in-laws who got us the tickets to do so! All items displayed were up for sale and the proceeds go to Primary Children's Hospital. Such a great idea! Here are some pics of the decorations and trees that my mom and I liked. Lots of great ideas for the upcoming years!!