Monday, December 25, 2006

A Childs Christmas in Mexico..... with apologies to Dylan Thomas

 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all who are reading this BLOG.

We had a visit from Misty's Mom, Momma Mary was here for a couple of days and then they went to California and visited Knott's Berry Farm. I, your humble author stayed behind and got into my Christmas project. While they had a nice time together at the park and in Los Angeles I was changing up the kitchen. The kitchen had a bunch of LARGE lunch coolers stacked in a corner and I got them moved into a dark closet that had a bunch of shelving I didn't really like. The closet was 5 feet high and not lighted and it was hard to find or store things inside there. Where the coolers were are now some new steel shelves that we bought at the local Costco; now we have plenty of space for the things we get and they are accessable. I also took down a couple of hanging spice rack/ utensil holders, replaced a fan we keep in the window and sorted through all the neat stuff that was hidden inside the small dark storage closet. I found a new blender, 2 crock pots, a Cuisinart Food Processor, 2 small bug traps and enough mustard and mayo packets to last till the final installment of the Chronicles of Narnia film series.

While I was waiting for the family to return home I also went Christmas shopping for a present for Misty, and I went grocery shopping for the Christmas dinner we had today. When everybody arrived at lunchtime we had a hotdog and cheese pizza for the kids at the store I mention all the time and then went inside that madhouse to get some ice cream for the Christmas dinner. It was a beautiful shopping experience, Full on wall to wall people and also right before we went in Emily crapped her pants and we didn't have the diaper bag with us so we went through and I took the kids to the car while Misty paid. I loaded the kids in the car and helped a lady in the car next to me put a case of soda away for her it was too heavy and she may have been pregnant. I went down the road to Pedro Loyola Blvd and got some tacos at a taco stand for dinner, and eventually the kids went to bed and we put the presents out undr the tree. I slept some but woke up early and Joey was up at 4 and he saw all the presents and got really excited about how Santa Claus had come to our house then he ran into the bedroom and woke up Misty and Emily and we were all up at 4 opening our presents and by 5 the Superman returns DVD was playing and Misty was back in bed and I was snoozing in the chair while Joey and Emily played with the baby stroller and Spiderman and Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter. I LOVE CHRISTMAS

Since everybody is gone we didn't have a Christmas service and we as a family didn't really know where to go to a Christmas eve service we just spent time to together but it was actually really nice not having to race all over town to make stops everywhere to visit for too short a time and run off to the next place before finally making it to Christmas dinner at usually Misty's parents house. I cooked some Carne Asada and beans and rice for Christmas dinner for those of us around the base. I didn't event hear Christmas Carolers, here in Ensenada they do something really cool though for Christmas eve and it is still going on as I type. People set off really powerful fireworks, I feel like I am in a warzone. Thats ok though cause I am going to buy some fireworks myself and I am going to organize a bonfire at the beach as we burn at least 3 Christmas trees in a couple of days or on New Years eve and blow off some explosives, it should be fun. I hope I dont get arrested. I will keep all those who are interested informed..... Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Saturday Dec 16th at a building site

 

Saturday we all went to a building site to check out the special design of the houses built last week, we dont have any pictures of the actual house because we got there very early at the build project. But Misty and Emily sat with the Mama and her daughters and played with dolls and visited as they watched the house getting put together. The house was on a road that was on a hill and the other kids in the neighborhood were riding their kiddie kars down the hill. Joey got in on the fun by chasing them and running alongside. I got a lot of action shots. I had a good time being there watching the progress of the building, we had a lot of visitors there from the base, and the Tijuana base, and San Diego; all were there to see the new experimental design. I think the major difference is that the houses we currently build are made of press board, sheet rock, type of material and this one has 3 inch thick vinyl siding with foam insulation inside that was in 18 inch wide pieces that were silicon glued and then screwed together, the house also has an indoor bathroom with a shower for the family. I don't know if this is the type of house that will be built here by YWAM and the teams, but I guess it is the wave of the future.

But what I really want to say is how much of a joy it was to be there and see the kids having fun and seeing the family as they had their house built. Posted by Picasa

Friday's Christmas Program

 

On Friday the 15th Misty and I went to the school where we have Joey and Emily enrolled and there was a Christmas program by Joey's class. We met some people and watched the kids in action, had a snack (chicken and refried beans and a slice of french bread) and there was a hot fruit punch as well. The kids sang songs, played pinata and even had a visit from Santa Claus. At the beginning we had to go back outside of the gate and sing a song, we were told it was a Mexico tradition, it is called "La Posada" and it commemorates when Joseph and Mary were trying to find a place to stay in Bethleham. Misty and I had a good time and it actually was very exciting to be meeting other parents and seeing the other kids that are in Joey's class. One of the things we were hoping to happen when we came here was to build actual relationships in the community. Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Joey at the Building Site

 

Ok so this picture is a few weeks old but we wanted to use it for a visual.

We had the city council of Ensenada over yesterday to visit us and we had a lunch for them. The menu was Penne pasta with Alfredo sauce with some chicken on top and along with it was some Caesar salad, sliced Baguettes, and a Caprese Salad but we used some rolled up cheese and salami loaves that were bought at Costco instead of Mozzerella...something a bit different we wanted to try. Misty loves salami, and hasn't had it for awhile so it was a nice treat.

The meeting was for our base leaders and the Chief Operating Officer and the City council of Ensenada. One of the City councilmen got up and told a personal story of someone who had recieved a house five years ago and it had turned the life around for the family, and it was HIS family that got the house five years ago. We were all really excited to hear that, Misty and I had big tears in our eyes as Kody was sharing with us the news. The circle continues, this man was given the gift of a home and the love of Christ and he and his family turned around and gave the gift of God's love by becomming a servant for his community!

There is another family who serves as a full time staffer with her husband and her family has a house from "Homes of Hope" also. Over 2000 "Homes of Hope" houses have been built here in Ensenada and Tijuana. People lives are being changed, and we as a family, and you as our supporter, reader, prayer partner, adventurer, get to be a apart of it, isn't that COOL!

Today and tomorrow we have a staff conference here on the base. So all the baja staff will be here. Misty and I will be busy in the kitchen preparing the meals and etc. for everyone.

Just a side note Gramma Mary will be joining us for a couple of days next week we are all excitied to see her and can't wait to spend some time with her!! Posted by Picasa

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Emily and Joey

 
these photos are from the night of the Christmas Party and also a couple from a week back when we had a pinata at my cousins house and visited them. Posted by Picasa

Monday, December 04, 2006

Today we visited a House building site

 

We were off work today and we went to a building site in the morning. When we got there they were about to raise two walls and some painting was also going on. Joey got right in there and wanted to help. I will try to get out there and get a picture of the finished project tomorrow. Posted by Picasa

Jimmie in a Helicopter in Iraq

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Joey and cousin Jimmie on a Helicopter

 
Joey and I went to the Mirimar Marine Corps Base in San Diego and looked at a helicopter with my cousin. He recently returned home from Iraq and spent a lot of hours holding on to a machine gun in a helicopter just like it. Posted by Picasa

Hello Everybody!

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The Moss Family Adventure

The Moss Family Adventure

Today is Monday and I am off today, I have some laundry going and soon it will be breakfast time. The kids are off school today as they were on Friday, I think it has to do with the presidential change that happened during the last weekend. I am a bit fuzzy when it comes to Mexican Current Events and news but I hear stuff from other people here. For instance I have noticed a lot of barges about 250 yards off the beach and they have been dredging for weeks now and I heard the other day that it is for the Queen Elizabeth passenger ship that will stop in Ensenada when there is a channel deep enough. We get cruise ships here on wednesdays and saturdays, that's the day that everything is super crowded and expensive downtown; it is great for the local economy. If I look out and see the ship and know it is a tourist day, then I will usually see people riding 4 wheelers to the beach or around town. On non tourist days I have been to the beach and have seen some of the locals riding their 4 wheelers. First you hear them a mile away, then you see the exhaust coming out of the tailpipe and the rider will have no helmet on and will be hooning down the beach about 45 or 50 miles and hour. It is crazy here sometimes.

Tonight we are traveling to the Tijuana base for their annual Christmas dinner party. I haven't been there yet to visit so for that reason alone I am excited to be there. On the 11th we are having our own Christmas party here at the base and the Moss family needs to get a costume theme sorted out and fast! Since it is a Costume Party, Any ideas? use the post a comment now and tell us yours, you can sign in as anonymous so you don't need a blogger account.