And this weeks...or last weeks...answer is:

Gina! She loves ALL shades of green but really tends to favor the more "olive" tones. Just one more way she is like her mom...it really gets scary when you think about how similair they are. Laney, who tends to be ALOT like Gina, is saying her favorite is green too BUT then her answers change DAILY...oh to be 3 again. Good luck with this weeks poll!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ISABELLA!

We can't believe that Isabella is 12 today! It seems just like yesterday she was born. She came in to the world at 8:37 AM and weighed exactly 8lbs. & was 20 inches long. She had the CUTEST dimples in each of her cheeks as well as her chin. She also had a strawberry shaped birthmark on her belly. Because it was red and a little raised in places it was like a real strawberry. Izzy has the MOST nicknames! Izzy, Bella, Izzy-Bella, Izzy-B, Izzy-berry-belly (from the birthmark), Izzy-Bug, Izz, and Isabelita.

She plays the violin and has started to learn the cello...although the violin IS her favorite. She does so well in school and loves to go to church. She is a great babysitter & kids just love her. One day she wants to be a pilot & has chosen the Air Force to learn

When she was little she had NO fear! She could climb anything & was tough. She has frequented the ER the most out of all of our kids. She got the top of her finger cut off in the door at age 2 & just sat there with big tears in her eyes. When her toe got stuck in the exercise bike & all but came off she rode in the front seat quietly. She is TOUGH!

We are so happy that Izzy is a part of our family & we love her so much. Hope your day is great Isabella! Happy Birthday!

Christmas Music

No specific artist this week, just some Christmas music we like to listen to around the holidays. Enjoy selections from A Charile Brown Christmas & Harry Connic Jr. this week. A little taste of what we will be listening to in our home. Enjoy the music...

This weeks answer is:

Little Laney Loo Hoo! That's right, Elania was the youngest to walk at 7 MONTH OLD! We are NOT talking just a step here or a step there. She was 7 months when she was walking all over! One day is was just a few steps then she just took off! She really hasn't stopped since. She could give the energizer bunny a run for his money with as much as she runs around. We love her energy and love for life. Everything is fun and exciting to her & we love so see her litle face light up with excitement as she discovers something. She is a sweetheart who loves everyone & that makes her just irresistable! We are SO happy Laney is a part of our family :) Love you Elaina!

Jazzarinos Dance!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

The jazzarinos dance too!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Not so good news

It is with a sad and heavy heart that we announce the untimely passing of Beth Kantola. She is Mathew's Mom and Gram to all of our kids. We all love her very much and while we will miss her being with us here on this earth, we are greatful she is out of the physical pain she endured for quite a few years. We are very greatful that The Lord let us have her in our lives as long as he did. We are also grateful for all of the things she was to each and everyone of us. She was a kind and loving mother as well as mother in law & grandma. She always had a hug for each of us & it was hard to live so very far away from her. Some of the things we loved about her?

*She could look in a cupboard that looked bare & whip up a great meal

*She was very crafty & loved to share that with those around her

*She made beautiful flower arrangements & did all of the bouquets & boutonnieres for our wedding

*She loved to bake in the kitchen with the grand kids

*She loved nature & instilled in each of us that same love

*She had beautiful flower gardens and yummy vegetable gardens

*She loved music & taught that love to Mathew, who has taught it to our kids & startd a legacy of music

She was many things to each of us & we will miss her greatly...Love you Gram!

This weeks answer

So last weeks poll was about who's name is the least common. Whom ever guessed Mary-Jocelyn you were right! Here are the official standings of our names:
Mathew: 97,867 with his first name & 42 with both names
MJ: 1.529 with her first name & 1 or less with both names
Michael: 4,038,929 with his first name & 1,737 with both names
Isabella: 12,235 with her first name & 5 with both names
Gabriel: 116,228 with his first name & 50 with both names
Elaina: 6,117 with her first name & 3 with both names
Isaac: 77,995 with his first name & 34 with both names

So there you have it. Some of the name we have are unique in the way they are spelled. Like Mathew with one t & Elaina instead of the traditional Elena & of course Mary-Jocelyn as one name. Regardless of how things are spelled each of us is our own person. It was fun to find out all of this info on our names & if you want to find out about yours here is the link we used: http://howmanyofme.com

The Month Before Christmas

I got this poem in a email from a friend & just felt so strong about what the message said. I feel it is time that Christians take a stand for what WE believe in especially at this time of the year, just like our counterparts are already doing and will continue to do. Just as they have that right so do we so here is our Christmas stand. Keep Christ in Christmas and in your heart always. MERRY CHRISTMAS to all who believe...*Twas the month before Christmas*
*When all through our land,*
*Not a Christian was praying*
*Nor taking a stand.*
*See the PC Police had taken away,*
*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*
*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*
*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
* December 25th is just a 'Holiday'.*
*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*
*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*
*Something was changing, something quite odd! *
*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*
*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*
* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*
*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*
*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*
*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*
*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*
*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!*
*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*
* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*
*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*
*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*
*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*
*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*
*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*
*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday!*

Please, all Christians join together and
wish everyone you meet
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Christ is The Reason for the Christ-mas Season!

Jack Johnson

This week we are mellowing out with Jack Johnson. We just love his quirky, folky songs. They make you smile, they make you laugh, you can identify with his lyrics and his guitar playing is melodic. He could be compared to this generations James Taylor...at least WE think so! His music is the perfect background for a party, hanging out, relaxing, driving...just to name a few. We chose some of our favorites for our blog & we will have to feature him again to put on even more.

Jack is from Hawaii & stared out as a surfer & thanks to a bad accident he eventually switched to music. His debut album was "Brushfire Fairytales" in 2001 & included fun songs like: Flake, Bubble Toes, Inaudible Music...songs we featured here...plus many more. Since then he has released 3 more albums: "On and On" 2003, "In Between Dreams" 2005 & "Sleep Through the Static" 2008 all of which are just as enjoyable as the first. He also did the majority of the "Curious George" soundtrack entitled:"Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George". Sit back, relax, listen, enjoy the music...

And the answer is...

Michael Moreno! That's right folks Michael has the most common name out of our family is the US. He shares his name with 1,736 other people. Even though his is the most common, he is definitely unique. Some of the things that make him Michael???

*He is an amazing musician on the sax and all percussion instruments

*He loves to cook and one day wants to make Banana Jam that can be canned for his food storage.

*He loves to play with Laney & Isaac

*He is the first one to wake up in the house ALL of the time & always has been...at least now it is around 6AM as opposed to 5AM when he was a baby...it never matters just HOW late he gets to seep!

*He has the coolest eyes in the world...they are Amber & so full of insight and knowledge

*He is the ONLY quiet kid in our house...he can get loud but not on a regular basis like the rest of them

*He is a computer genius and anytime something goes wrong with the computer all we have to do is call for him & it is fixed in minutes

*Even though he doesn't play any sports he has amazing accuracy when he plays catch...both football & baseball

We really just love Michael & if the site we used to find out the popularity of our names used middle names he would have had the mot unique name ever! We love you Michael Matilde Moreno & we are happy you chose to be a part of our family...we are better people because of you in our lives.

OINGO BOINGO

Most people know Danny Elfman as the guy who wrote the music for Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, Batman 1 & 2, Edward Scissorhands, Good Will Hunting, Mission Impossible, Men in Black 1 & 2, Spider-Man 1 & 2, Big Fish, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride, Wanted, Hellboy 2, just to name a few...plus many TV themes: The Simpsons, Batman: The Animated Series, Desperate Housewives, Tales from the Crypt, Sledge Hammer!, and The Flash (TV series).

Well unless you are old like we are you may not know he was the lead singer for Oingo Boingo...Formerly know as the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, which was a musical-theatrical troupe formed by Danny's older brother~Richard & wife~Marie. Danny was just the musical director at this point but when Richard left the group in 1976 Danny took over as the lead singer and director. In 1980 Danny turned the group into an 8 member "rock" band and shortened the name to Oingo Boingo. I say rock band loosely because they really had an eclectic sound...New Wave, Punk, Ska, Rock, & it just worked! Their first release was "Only a Lad" hence the first song on our play list this week. They went on to release 7 albums through out the 80's & then shortened their name to Boingo, released one album, and separated on good terms after their annual Halloween concert at the Universal Amphitheater in 1995. While it is sad to loose such an amazing pioneering band, at least we can still enjoy Danny's brilliant music on TV or in the movies. He has also branched out in other aspects such as Serenada Schizoprhrenia, which debuted in Carnegie Hall in 2005, and Rabbit and Rogue, a new ballet that he created for choreographer Twyla Tharp and The American Ballet Theatre, performed at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House, June 2008. Really can we say anything else other than "Brilliant". Enjoy the music...