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| Holiday Season 2007 |
To our dearest family and friends, we hope this holiday greeting finds you all warm, happy, and healthy. As our boys, Jacob and Joel continue to discover the world around them; they bring us much joy and delight. They’re free to pursue and discover their surroundings to their hearts desire. (click on the picture of our boys for a little something from Jake and Joey)
Their pursuit of friendship... aside from the trust and comfort zone Joey gets from mommy and daddy (ok, admittedly, it’s more so his mommy and his primary teachers), Joey is more welcoming to new faces as he encounters new relatives, new teachers, and new friends. Jake enjoys his friends in school because of all the silliness only 4 year olds can find amusing. His eyes light up when his neighbors come over to play. Jake wishes that they would just marry him, so that they can stay over and always play together.
Their pursuit of knowledge… Jake continues to master his abc's. With the help and encouragement from his teachers at Kindercare, Jake is quickly learning to sound out words so he can write them on his doodle-board or spell them aloud. He’s also beginning to read his first books like Thomas the Train and Dr Seuss. We ‘re so proud that Jake is using his noggin more for cognitive uses and less as a battering ram. Joey is learning to communicate with what little he has. His yawps and his shrieks can mean anything and everything, depending on the context of his amusements or the mess he’s getting into. Unfortunately for the rest of us, even Paddi and Tyler, we’re all struggling to figure out what he wants and doesn’t want.
Their pursuit of tradition... despite our long daily commute to drop the kids off at daycare and the hours we put in the office, we’ve made a tradition of eating out for dinner every Thursday night. We all can’t wait to eat at McDonald's and share the events of our day. To the dismay of other patrons, I’m sure we’re missed at the other eateries where Joey has been known to fling a broccoli in their midst or Jakey’s strident insistence that nuggets be served everywhere.
Their pursuit of happiness... because we don’t always get what we want. Jake and Joey are going through the pains most siblings live through – sharing their toys, wrestling for mommy and daddy’s attention, and who gets to choose what book to read or what movie to watch. In the end, Jake and Joey, alongside Paddi and Tyler, they realize they’re each other’s siblings and we are a family. We treasure every little moment we have together. "This part of my life...this little part…is called "happyness.” - Chris Gardner.
The many kids of Heathfield Circle and its surrounding streets joined in for some good ol' fashion Halloween fun...
BIG trouble comes in little packages. Click on the thumbnail picture and see what our Jake-Jake, the Jakester, our loving Jake-a-boo did in 2007.
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| Jacob 2007 |
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| Joey 2007 |
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| Our Boys 2007 |
"...a [boy] without armor in a savage land."
Once a month, Jake and Kappa do some grand-Kappie and grand-kid stuff together and explore the beauty and wonder that is Mother Nature. On Labor Day, Jake and Kappa invited Joey, mommy and daddy to the Tow Path on the C&O, along the Maryland side of Great Falls Park.
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| From Jacob 2007 |
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| From Best of the R... |
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| From Best of the R... |
"Jakey, Jakey, where do you roam? Jakey, Jakey, far, far from home. "
affects our daily lives and thoughts 20 years later. Members of our class still feel "intimidated" today because of it. One brave Rebel (call her "J") spoke up and wrote, "in highschool...I felt displaceced... unsure of myself and very much adork. I am no longer a dork...however this whole thing about life wasbest in highschool.... well its not how I feel. So...why should Irevisit... the most awkward part of my life? Im not in any of thepictures... and truth be told... I painfully brought out theyearbook... to even know who the people making posts are. So..yes Imundecided... Id be there if I knew... I have a fun time..but Im notconvinced that it would be an excerise in masochism. "
So I did. I joined my pals, Hyong 'Louise' Kim, Eric (Weinberg) Magruder, Marcus 'McKinney' and Chris. I'd rather regret going than not going at all. We gathered at Tony's NY Pizza for a pitcher of beer, or two, or three...and some wings before heading off to the hotel. There, I met old faces and made new friends. It was a chance to laugh and remember about the old times, the hairstyles (where did mine go, by the way?), the songs, the cars, the fads and fashion of 1983-1987. Those high school days were simpler days then --- no mortgage to pay, no children to care for, no worries too big. My biggest worries then were waking up in time for first period in Mr C's math class or taking a pop quiz at Ms Fedricks' English class. Memories of my youth was generally good and it felt good unlocking those faint images that night.
I'm most proud of my 'mates who rallied and re-assured 'J' and the rest of us "dorks." High school is a confusing phase for teenagers and we all cope differently. But we're never alone whenever we reach out for the support and love from our family and friends. It's good seeing those from my past and realizing that teenagers do change into responsible, caring adults. |
| From Best of the R... |
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| From Best of the R... |
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| From Best of the R... |
Before we left for home, we stopped at the Go-Karts Plus and tested out the many go-kart tracks, miniature golf, bumper boats and cars. What a weekend.
p.s. A little warning to all I95 travelers out there heading south to the Richmond area. Beware of the McDonald's Express located in the Bottom Bridge exit just south of I295. It is the scariest, if not worst place to grab a bite, or worse, take a leak!
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| Joey's First Birthday 2007 |
Trina and I celebrated our ten year wedding anniversary on Memorial Day weekend. To this day, we can't remember the exact date, but at least we remember it's on a three day holiday weekend. Who can forget that, right?
quiet dinner together enjoying the moment. Yeah right. Of course, we ignored for that fleeting moment, the blaring sounds of cartoons Jake was watching, Joey's screaming for milk, Tyler's whining to go outside, and Paddi's snout poking at our laps for dinner scraps. It was the most romantic ten-second dinner together between a husband and wife. We can only smile and appreciate what we have after ten years together and what will happen in the years to come. |
| Jacob's 4th Birthday |
The following day, he was joined with friends from the neighborhood and around town at the Curiosity Zone in Ashburn, VA. There, Jake and his pals discovered the world of science, using everyday stuff to replicate volcanos, tornados, and other exploding things. It's better to have things explode at the Curiosity Zone than have a bunch of mad scientists blowing up things in our house!
Hey you. Here's our first attempt of opening up our world to the world wide web. Hope you enjoy our ride.
To our dearest family and friends, we hope this holiday greeting finds you all warm, happy and healthy. 2006 was a banner year for the Arzaga family (see more pictures from 2006 on Snapfish). In contrast to last year's newsletter where we described our many travels, this year we stayed close to our nest. That's because our roost got a little bit bigger with a new addition to our family. We are proud to bring a new life into the world, Joel Thomas Ernesto Arzaga or as we like to call him, Joey. He was born on a Saturday, July 1st. He is a smiley and healthy 8lb 13oz, 20" baby boy with a full mullet at birth.
We were excited to find out we were having another child in November '05, but it became real to Trina and me on Valentine's Day when we found out the gender of 'Cletus-the-fetus'. We were torn what names to bestow our next boy. (Some people were actually relieved we didn't choose Cletus - again.) We finally compromised and favored Joel in the end.
We suppose it's nature's way of fooling us to procreate, but how quickly we forget...just 3 short years ago, we were in the same quagmire. Did we not learn our lessons with our first born while Trina shrieks during delivery? Or when we stumble in the dark to answer the 2 am shrills for feedings; or when we're sprayed with the "fountain of youth", so to speak, while we're changing diapers; or nodding off, half-sleepishly through office meetings. Quite honestly, we couldn't have asked for anything else. We love that we spend our days horsing around the house and our nights reading books and watching tv. We have 2 wonderful boys and 2 wonderful dogs that keep our house unkempt, loud and alive. Just the way we like it.
Big brother Jake wished for neither a baby brother nor sister; but rather, wished for Sydney, his next door neighbor. In other words, he wanted someone who came to visit and play, but never stayed around long enough to endanger his kingdom. Imagine Jake's surprised look when he found out his baby Joey was not a baby kangaroo, but rather a wrinkly coneheaded version of Mini-me. After a couple of days getting used to the idea that Joey was here to stay, Jake warmed up to Joey. Jake is now happy and proud to tell his friends, teachers, and telemarketers that he is Joey's big brother.
Joey joined Jakey at his daycare when mommy returned from maternity leave. He is adjusting well in school and making friends with his classmates and teachers. We cannot express enough how much Joey loves to smile. We like to think Joey's big warm smile makes everyone's day just a little bit brighter. Trina and I can't wait for that moment every day when we see the smiles on both kids after a long day at the office.
Jacob still amazes us with his ability to point out the names of every Thomas the Train character in his books and every John Deere tractor and Caterpillar construction vehicle he sees on the road. Unlike the Trekkie that is his daddy, Jake managed to attend every other model train convention in the DC metro area, ride every kiddie train at Burke Lake Park and shopping malls, and visit Strasburg, PA again and again and again.
Older siblings Paddi-cakes and Ty-Ty are getting older in their ways. Both canines prefer to be left alone by their younger counterparts. They still enjoy their walks around the neighborhood and are content sitting out on the front yard and porch.
"I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my family and friends, the old and new." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson.We are grateful for grand-Kappa, Lolo and Lola and all the uncles and aunts who ceaselessly spoil and love their grandkids/nephews whenever Trina and I are busy and tired; for our families, friends and teachers who offer their patience, kind hearts and generosity; you are all a big part of our lives.
Big brother, Jacob Arzaga and his canine siblings, Paddington and Tyler would like to finally announce the arrival of their new baby brother, Joel Thomas Ernesto Arzaga. He is a happy and healthy baby. Mommy, Jacob, Paddi and Tyler are all doing fine. Yeah, daddy too.
We would like to thank everyone who kept us in their thoughts and prayers. We are grateful to all the well-wishers who’ve dropped by for the gifts to both Joey and Jakey and for the hot and yummy meals. Your kind hearts and generosity helped us tremendously during the first weeks of Joey’s life.
Finally, a BIG thank you to Jake and Joey's grandma Kappa, who spent every night of the last week of Trina’s pregnancy in case J-Day arrived early, for enduring the breakfast incident at McDonald's while babysitting Jacob and for answering all of Trina’s beckoning call at the hospital. We couldn’t have survive the weekend without you..JPG)
“And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people...and on earth peace, good will toward men... " Luke 2:8-14.JPG)
Believe it or not, we are enjoying his terrible twos (knowing that the teenage years are still ahead of us), because he is just the bestest kid we could ask for..JPG)
We were able to finally take several vacations and weekend trips this year (see more pictures from 2005 on Snapfish). It's not an easy task when we're traveling with a kid, 2 dogs and at times, Kappa and her BIG-bag-o’-hair stuff. In May, we spent a day out in Thurmont, MD (near Camp David) to celebrate Mother's Day at the Cozy Inn buffet and a train ride on the Walkersville Southern Railroad, MD..JPG)
In late August, we ventured back to OBX (Corolla, NC) for a week with my brother's family, the Cruz’es and my friend since high school, Eric..JPG)
In October, we went apple picking in Purcellville, VA. Trina baked the best apple pies..JPG)
Both of our loving pups, Paddington and Tyler turned eight this year. They are as fluffy and cuddly as ever. Rain or shine, sleet or snow, our canine kids still have the energy and good health to keep us going on our daily walks around South Riding. The neighborhood kids came over to help devour the birthday cakes with Paddi and Tyler..JPG)
Ernesto is still working towards retirement, only 22 years left to cashing in on his 401k. Working at CACI is challenging and interesting, if not fun. Really, it is. I find myself writing volumes and volumes of software requirements, functional designs, test scripts and even online help and training documentation for the DoD. I learn something new everyday. I sometimes wonder if people are actually reading and reviewing my 30, sometimes 300+ page papers I churn out every other week. It’s not up to par with Grisham’s thrillers or kid-friendly like Harry Potter, but it’s very good reading for the insomniacs. Really, it is..JPG)
Trina has been promoted again at E*Trade. She is managing a team performing due diligence on loan portfolios of other mortgage entities. We are all so proud of her. Trina's business travels have taken her across the continental US, including, Cleveland, Nashville and San Antonio. Hopefully, my sugar mamma will make it all worth her while when she earns her bonus..JPG)
Thankfully, Trina is cutting down on her workload and travels soon (Ernesto can't handle being Mr. Mom for more than 2 days in a row), as we are expecting our second child in the summer of 2006. We are excited about our expanding brood. We figured we've got 2 cars, 2 dogs, why not 2 kids?!? We're sure Jacob, Paddi and Tyler can't wait to have another rugrat joining them in wreaking havoc to our already unstable sanity.