Puerto Rico Coconut Tree

Puerto Rico Coconut Tree
Aaah...A GREAT tree to relax under!

Sunday, September 11, 2011

WE WILL NEVER FORGET -- NUNCA OLVIDAREMOS - 9/11

¤*¨¨*¤.¸¸ ...¸.¤\
\ 9/11 AMERICA \
.\¸.¤*¨¨*¤ .¸¸.¸.¤*
..\
☻/
/▌
/ \ NEVER FORGET!!! KEEP THE FLAG GOING!!!  In Memory of those We Lost on September 11, 2001, take a moment to help reflect the fond memories of those loved ones who perished without any warning and for those who continue to die because of illnesses in their quest to help those in need. May God Bless Us all as we remember and will never forget those we lost. Be safe everyone!


Memories of 9/11 -- feels like yesterday :(

1.  I arrived at work in the MetLife Building and I remember that I was about to step on the elevator and the building was suddenly being evacuated. I saw my supervisor come off the elevator and she said to get out quick, trains were no longer running and the building was a target. When I asked her why all she could say was I was preparing for a meeting in the large conference room. Our conference room faced the Towers (we had a spectacular view with full ceiling to floor windows) and when she turned she saw the 1st Tower being hit by an airplane.

2.  Walking out of the building in shock, remembering my best-friend, David, worked in D.C. in the Pentagon and calling him and cried when I heard his voice and said that he was across the street when it happened.

3.  I ran from 42nd & 5th all the way to 104th & 5th without thinking only to stop at a Payless store to buy cheapy sneakers so I could get out of my heels. I had to get my daughter, she was in school right on Museum mile (also a possible target)!! The fear gripped me and I had stamina to run all those blocks.

4.  My friends on the 101st floor, who I spoke to everyday while transacting business…oh my God, would I ever see them again….I didn’t.

5.   My daughter’s Dad worked on the 86th floor, we called him for hours, we didnt get to him until about 6 p.m., his cell phone was out…he just made it out of Tower 1 as it crumbled. Covered in soot, he had gone over the Brooklyn Bridge and was walking home. He was on the 40-something floor getting breakfast and had never made it to 86…God had mercy on him that day.

6.  I remember Gabby's classmate being so upset with her because Gabby's Dad had made it out safely and her parents had died in the Towers that day.  She even stopped speaking to her for over a year!  As they were only 7 years old, I tried to explain to Gabby that her friend was not angry at her personally but hurt her parents had perished and this was how she was coping.

There is so much more, but I would sit here writing for hours. Blessings to all the families and all those who perished, and all those that are sick today because of that day, and to my Uncle Sammy, a Minister, who helped search and prayed over everyone including the bodies that were found for days on end.

GOD BLESS US ALL,

PRINCESAGRACE <3

Saturday, September 10, 2011

WE WISH TO WELCOME OUR NEWEST FOLLOWERS -- BIENVENIDOS!


Cory DeJesus
Madelene Nieves
and
Gabriellex3



Glad that you are following us and we hope that you refer us to your friends!   Also, don't forget to press like on our Facebook page as well at:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Tales-of-Two-Latinas/192462680791851#!/


Hasta la proxima,


PrincesaGrace and JennyBoo

IN MEMORY OF 9/11/2001 -- EN MEMORIA DE 9/11/2001 -- 10 YEARS LATER: 2001 - 2011



A MEMORY

September 11th was a day no one will ever forget,
On September 11th a lot of loved ones died,
It made us realize how important everyone is in our eyes.

It was a day of Sadness,
It was a day of Fright,
It was a day like none other,
Every held hands and prayed together.

No matter our race,
No matter our age,
This is a memory everyone will remember,
A day where the whole world cried together,
We will always have this day in our hearts,
But we ask one question...
Why did it have to start?

IN LOVING MEMORY OF EVERYONE WHO DIED:
 FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE OFFICERS, FAMILY, FRIENDS, CO-WORKERS, CHILDREN, MOTHERS, FATHERS, BROTHERS, SISTERS, AUNTS, UNCLES, GRANDPARENTS, WIVES, HUSBANDS....

Poem Created by: Gabrielle Ramos
(PrincesaGrace's daughter)


HOPE EVERYONE ENJOYED THEIR LABOR DAY WEEKEND/ESPERO QUE TODOS SE DIVERTIERON ESTE FIN DE SEMANA DE OBREROS!

We tried to make the best of our budgeted weekend get away and didn't do too shabbily.  We ventured to Harrisburg, PA minutes away from Hershey, PA.

FRIDAY NIGHT, my fiance and I stuffed my daughter, her boyfriend, his son and the dog in a little Ford Focus and head out for adventure with a budget in mind, of course!  Times are kind of tough right now, me being on unemployment and he having a part-time job, nevertheless, we worked it and all had an awesome time :)



SATURDAY MORNING we head out to Hershey's Chocolate World!  A free tour of the factory and only $14.95 to create your own chocolate bar, we were sold on the idea. 






The TOUR was cool, just like a Disney ride, we were in these little bucket seats that sat 4-5 people and since we were a group of 5, that was perfect! We rode along while all kinds of images, films and machinery were shown to us explaining the origins of Hershey and the machines and process of how they create their yummy candy.
Hmmm...looks like a Chocolate pool!


Here are Gabby and Scotty (bf)
looking at the Milk and Cocoa mixing


Yummy sheets of Chocolate























After the tour, we decided it was time to make DA CHOCOLATE! Excited to create our mouth-watering treats, we marched on towards the Laboratory where we were given aprons, masks (like doctors LOL), hair nets, and gloves to wear. We were directed to computer screens where we picked our fillings. I picked a white chocolate center, pretzels, almonds and choco chips! Gabby: all chocolate fillings, (blech, too much choco for me), Paul: pretzels, almonds and toffee, Ed, his son: picked out almonds and choco chips, and finally Scotty chose white chocolate center and some stuff I didn't get to see...no fair Scott! As we watched our morsels go through the process, we were then directed to pick out the design of labels...more creating on the computer awesome :)

Fillings are placed!

Choco overing is going on top
Finally the Sprinkles :)







Final packaging...this one's mine!

We thought we were done, but we were led into the BAKERY area where they had loads of goodies you could buy from chocolate covered strawberries to cupcakes! A picture of Eduardo is depicted eyeing them but then as we looked up we a sign that read "CREATIONS STUDIO", we had to check it out, so up the stairs we went! Above the bakery you can actually make your own goods for $3 or $4! Gabby and Eduardo chose to make smores and to our surprise 2 attendants came and put edible paint on the table cover, gave us all paint brushes and said "paint away and if ya want you can EAT the paint"! I didn't venture but Paul, Eduardo and Gabby did and they said it tasted great. Eduardo even put some on his smore (shaking my head).
Eduardo eyeing the goodies at the Bakery








Afterwards we ventured to the GIFT SHOP where we actually tried everything, squished the stuffies and basically made a lot of noise!

Um Hershey Kiss Hat?
Scotty is not convinced!
ON SUNDAY, we ventured to Gettysburg, PA and visited the Gettysburg Museum for $10 each we saw a great film, an awesome panoramic picture with narration, toured the museum, and toured the actual Gettysburg battlefield using our car.  Not bad!  Of course, there was also a Bookstore/Gift Shop but we decided to behave this time :-D

 
Gabby looks at the Union (NORTH) Soldier's Uniform
Here's the Confederate's (SOUTH) Uniform
Gettysburg Battlefield Map
Old Cannon - BOOM!

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

FINALLY ON MONDAY, on the ride back to Jersey we came upon CABELA, which we thought was just a camping goods store and it turned out to be so much more :)  We all looked at each other and said, "Hmmm...bathroom and snack break and the back on the road".  Well it turns out a bathroom break turned out to be yet another great adventure.  They had clothes, all types of sporting goods, a Deer Exhibit, a restaurant and an Aquarium!!  Needless to say more fun and absolutely free, sigh...such a blessing and the PERFECT ending to our weekend.











Hah, a tent for our doggie, Nibbles?

Nibbles in his carrier, as we bid PA farewell


Videos of our Weekend for your Amusement :)


HERSHEY CHOCOLATE WORLD - Tour (sneak-a-peek here)


BRING ON THE EDIBLE PAINT?!

SIGH, SUCH A PAINTER, HE CALLED IT "ART SUCKS"


HASTA LA PROXIMA,

PRINCESA GRACE <3

Friday, September 2, 2011

LABOR DAY WEEKEND/CELEBRANDO EL DIA DE LOS OBREROS!

HEY EVERYONE!  HOLA A TODOS!


Have an awesome Labor Day weekend and don't forget to make some wonderful memories!  We wish you blessings, joy and safety this weekend along with your family and friends.  Good luck to all the students returning to school too...GO FOR IT, build that future :)


Que tengan un fin de semana impresionante y no se olviden de crear memorias maravillosas!  Les deseamos bendiciones, gozo y seguridad...cuidensen...junto a su familia y amigos.  Buenas suertes a todos los estudiantes volviendo a la escuela tambien...HAGALO, construyen su futuro :)


CIAO Y HASTA LA PROXIMA!


PRINCESAGRACE Y JENNYBOO

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Life...it happens! Son cosas de la Vida! :)

Hi, everyone!

I just wanted to share a few happenings in my life.  Lately, I have been so overwhelmed with LIFE!  My fiance's mom had major corrective surgery on her back, then my mom had quadruple bypass surgery all in the same month.  Thankfully, they both are recovering well, but SHEESH, I felt like I was going to lose it.  I was being "spread thin" between the two mothers, my regular home workload, being there for my fiance, daughter and even the dog, being a friend and a full-time student.  Not to mention, I'm still unemployed and looking for a job!

I know most of you can identify with my circumstances of late.  We have to wear so many hats that we, at times, can get not only TIRED but confused and just wanting a moment where you didn't have to do anything for anyone or worry about what to do next!  SOME ALONE TIME PLEASE, or how about just some deep sleep (as opposed to broken or 2 or 3 hours of sleep). 

As with everything in life, these things also will pass but sometimes the end seems so FAR!  All we can do is continue on and pray that we make it to the end of the tasks at hand. 

So in conclusion, I say know that no good deed goes unrewarded and that we are here to serve just as our Lord came to serve.  If we give our all, we will, in the end receive ALL.  Besides we REAP what we SOW don't we?!  Some greater good has to come from all this sacrificed effort :)

Hang in there!

Hasta la proxima...CIAO,

PrincesaGrace