~~~~ Happy New Year ~~~~

Happy New Year from the Garza Family!!! I feel 2009 is going to be a spectacular year for our family.

The girls and I welcomed the New Year in Knoxville, Tennessee with my aunts and uncles while Steve fed lots of hungry folks at Maggiano's. The girls and I had a blast in Knoxville. My moms brothers and their wives celebrate Christmas over New Years and we've been heading down since I was pregnant with Ava. Lots of eating and card playing takes place. I have gotten to know my aunts and uncles on a different level by spending New Years with them the past 4 years. I cherish New years and Memorial Day weekend with them. I love them all so much - and to see Isabella and Ava hugging and loving on them warms my heart. Mom and I had a mini-adventure while in Knoxville - I gave her the wrong exit and we spent about 30 minutes checking out the scenery all around the city! I told her I felt like Michelle did on our trip to Memphis in October. It ended up working out being lost because it allowed the girls an extra 30 minutes of sleep time. LOL

The day before we left to go to Tennesse I spent the day with my SIL and my niece. My SIL and I watched hours upon hours of marathon Millionaire Listings on Bravo, cooked, talked and packed. During this time I came to the realization that I am not cut out for the medical field. I changed her packing from her surgery a couple of weeks ago - lets just say I dry heaved the entire time I was doing it, broke out into cold sweats because I thought I was going to pass out but then also laughed so hard I almost peed on myself because she was laughing at how I was reacting to it all. The 2nd time I changed it I had a stronger stomach and didn't dry heave once! Yeah me!! heehee

Sunday we all went to the Childrens Museum in Indy and I met an awesome friend I've known online for about a year. They live in Illinois but had to drop her mom off at the Indy airport so we spent the day with Brandy and her family at the Museum. I love my on-line friends and little by little I'm meeting more of them. It's not like it was when the internet first came around - you can develop fabulous, geniune friendships online - and not worry about them stalking you and killing you. LOL Now, there are some nutter out there - don't get me wrong, I stay clear of the crazys!

Today Steve and I hit the gym doing some hard core cardio (1 hour on the elliptical machine for me. Steve did 30 minutes on the elliptical and 30 on the stairs). Tomorrow we will be back in there for some more cardio and weight training. I usually try and talk myself out of going to the gym but once I'm in there - it's like a drug. I just want more, more, more. I really love working out (once I get my butt in the gym that is LOL).

Once we got home from the gym we worked on organizing Christmas toys, putting old toys up and away to make room for the new. We only have a couple more bags to go through and we are good to go!!!

Steve's mom got Isabella this Pet Shop game - it is so much fun!! We play it over and over and over again. Thank you Grandma and Papi. The next couple of days will be spent sending out thank you cards for all the holiday goodies we received.

My New years resolutions are usually the same - focus on a healthy lifestyle by eating well, exercising and staying active. This year I added using up all of the anti-aging creams, serums and stuff I have to make me look younger and age more gracefully. LOL It better work darn it!

So, that's my update 5 days into 2009. Isabella went back to school today and Ava goes back tomorrow.