Hello everyone!
Nathaniel is getting so big. He is sitting up now and eating babyfood. He can say "da da" of course....no matter how many times I try to get him to say MAMA...he just smiles and replies with DADA! It's so cute.

Carissa will be going to kindergarten in the fall. It's so hard to believe because it seems like she was just born yesterday....time flies eh? Her favorite things to watch on TV are American Idol and Star Search. She asks everyday "Mommy is it America or hit me with the digits tonight?" She tells me that she wants to be on stage when she gets older.

Reina comes to see us every other weekend. When Manny and I got married she adjusted really well to not having her daddy to herself...but since the birth of her brother it's been a little bit of a different story. She feels left out of the loop, and it makes me really sad. It truly brings back memories of when I was a little girl. I couldn't WAIT to be with my daddy. Especially after Andrew was born and I knew that I was going to be able to spend time with the baby. It's definitely an adjustment for Reina, but she is still such a good girl.

Manny is going to send in his comedy tape to Star Search. Everyone keep your fingers crossed for us. The exposure alone would be a big boost for his career in the comedy area. His dream has always been to "make it" and I truly believe with the right people watching that he would get some phone calls :) I will let everyone know if we get a call back, and then we can all vote online and give Manny 5 stars and his competitor 1 star..hee hee :)

Me, I am just really busy at school. My principal asked me to be the advisor for the National Junior Honor Society a couple of weeks ago. This was supposed to be taken care of in the beginning of the year, so now I have deadlines galore. It's definitely a resume bulider though. I am also tutoring at risk kids after school twice a week, so it gets kinda hectic.

We don't necessarliy have the most exciting life, but I kinda like it that way :)

A note to my cousins: my current email is pequitas1298@earthlink.net.
I think dad has the right idea. I would love to get to know all of you better. It's never too late :)

Love you all,
Jen

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER
By Erma Bombeck
(Used without permission.)

I would have invited friends over to dinner, even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the GOOD living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I wasn't there for the day.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment realizing that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."

There would have been more, "I love you's" and more,
"I'm sorry's" but mostly, given another shot at life,

I would seize every minute ...
look at it and really see it ...
live it ... and never give it back.