M&L New Year's Eve 2010

Although today is New Year's Eve, Mommy and Papi had to go into the city for Mommy's job. We took a pizza making class so Mommy can learn more about the art of baking. No worries, the kids were in good hands at home with Navita and later on we would be heading to Aba and Abu's house for New Year's Eve.

Matthew came over to play with some Mateo's Christmas Booty

Ryan was also over to enjoy the new Christmas toys

"What about my toys?" (Note: Miss Lucia has her PJ top on backwards because she insisted on trying to bite the buttons off)

Lucia is ready to start the New Year right - facing forward !

Decked out for New Year's Eve Lucia makes her way downstairs to where all of the action is

Ladies night - Melanie and Lucia explore

Cousins galore - Ayden and Mateo negotiate with Papi

Aba brought in a mariachi band to help celebrate the festivities

Padrino, Kimm and Mateo (rocking a Jersey-style sweater vest with no shirt)

M&L Celebrate Christmas Again

Well as you can see we made it back to the Northeast and have left the Tropics behind. Since this week is a pretty quiet week at work, Papi decided to take Mateo to work with him. They got to see the Tree and ice skaters in Rockefeller Plaza and Mateo got to meet all of Papi's co-workers. Later the kids got to celebrate Christmas again with Aba, Abu and Tia Raqui Caqui.

Mateo - cold and happy in front of the tree

Back at home Lucia and Mateo enjoy a "cup of joe" in Lucia's play kitchen

Once Aba arrived, Mateo received a new outfit for New Year's Eve

And so did Miss Lucia

She also got a perfectly posh red coat...Mommy was very jealous

To fill in more of his Toy Story collection, Mateo got a life size Woody Doll

In the toy department, Lucia got a shopping cart and a toy mop and broom...hmmm I wonder why Mateo never got cleaning items for Christmas?

Well she really seems to like them

Later, Tia Raqui played super hero with Mateo...good times

M&L's Tropical Style

Today was an extra day in Miami for the Vielot-Gonzalez family. We were supposed to have left yesterday morning, but due to the big blizzard up North our flight was cancelled. We were put on another flight for today which will fly us into Philly and then we drive home from there. Fingers crossed that this will work. Well if we have to be stuck somewhere, it might as well be the tropics :)

To celebrate our extra day, Mateo and Papi picked oranges in Grandma's backyard

And Lucia got her hair styled like an island girl

Now we are off to the airport, it looks like Miss Lucia wants to drive

"This is awesome!"

"Looks like we are actually going to get to take off" (Note: this was Miss Lucia's first trip, this being the return, where she got her very own seat on the airplane)

M&L Go to Christmas Service - 2010

This morning we woke up and got ready to go to Grandma's church for Christmas service. It was another nice warm day in Miami which meant we could dress up without having to bundle up.

Miss Lucia dressed up in her Christmas best

Lucia and Mateo (giving a rather strange surprised look) at the kiddie classes at church

After church services the kids played in the church playground

Mommy and Mateo

Mateo practicing his letters with Grandma

"Cheeeeeeeese!"

Freddy and Lucia enjoying lunch at Applebees

Christmas 2010 in Miami

"YAHHHHH!! It's Christmas!" Ok this morning Mateo woke up bright and early and dragged his sister along to open up some Christmas presents. The grown ups opened some at midnight the night before, but Christmas morning is owned by children.

Mateo was excited while Lucia was a little confused and disturbed

Papa Fofo got Mateo a Transformers Bumblebee arm...it makes noise, lights up and punches a fist...what more can a 4 year old ask for

Mateo helped Papi unwrap his gifts

Freddy and Grandma also opened up the rest of their gifts

Christmas morning Papi "watches" Lucia and his Blackberry on the front lawn

Mateo carefully sets up his Toy Story characters while Papi and Lucia listen to what the kids refer to as "Beaner Benz and Belly..."

Vielot - La Veille de Noel

Today was somewhat familiar and somewhat new. When Mommy was little the Vielots would always get together for Christmas Eve. Unfortunately, for the past 4-5 years this hasn't been happening for a variety of reasons. It is very important that Mateo and Lucia get to know the the older and younger Vielots so this year Mommy decided to try and recreate the Vielot Christmas Eve. Grandma graciously loaned her home and Mommy got some Haitian catering and the only other thing needed were the Vielots. Fortunately they didn't disappoint.

Mateo (climbing the fence) and Lucia wait for the family

Mateo, cousin Daniel and Lucia all try and climb the fence

And then go on an adventure in the front yard "jungle"

Yum, yum, Haitian Food

The men of the family (Yves, Papi, Papa Fofo, Kleber, Mateo and Daniel) enjoyed the meal

The ladies (Fabrice's girlfriend, Gabby, Mommy, Lucia, Auntie Marie, Grandma and Tia) also enjoyed the meal

The whole family "Yah Vielots!!!"

Mateo, Papa Fofo, Mommy and Lucia enjoyed some bonding time

And Mateo and Lucia ended the night with a little game of "Slide me on the floor"

M&L Visit Tia Mirta & Alejandro

Today was the day to visit Papi's side of the family, so we packed up the kids and went to Hialeah.

Cousin Alejandro was a little confused about the invasion and stayed in the corner for the 1st five minutes staring as his toys were being commandeered

No longer in the corner Alejandro was still a bit disturbed that Mateo and Lucia took over both of his ride-on cars

"Check out my wheels"

At least Tia Mirta was happy to have us visit

M&L Hang in the "Ridge" (aka Cutler Bay)

Today the Vielot-Gonzalez family chilled out near home in Cutler Bay (please note when Mommy was growing up here it was called Cutler Ridge). The kids played at the park behind the middle school and had a great time.

Lucia danced around on the basketball court

Similar to what her bro did when he was her age

The whole gang decided it was hot and they needed a break

"Lucia to the RESCUE!" "Ice Cold Water Here!"

Reinvigorated and hydrated, Mateo decided to take on the pull-up bars

And the parallel bars

After a long day outside, the kids had dinner, bathed and then settled down for some yummy blueberries and a little Backyardigans

Mateo conquers the monkey bars