Michael - September 15th
Peter - September 15th
Mary - September 28th
Jack - September 29th
Sunday, September 11, 2011
September Birthday's
A very Happy Birthday to all of the September Birthday's! May this year bring you many wonderful blessings & memories.
Monday, August 15, 2011
August Birthday!
Feliz Cumpleano's to Giovanna on August 26th!
Gi, we hope you have a wonderful birthday this year and that all your heart desires will be granted!
Love all of us!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
July Birthday's
Happy Happy Birthday to all of the July Birthday's!!
Sara-July 4th
Mark-July 14th
Marta-July 15th
Gianni-July 28th
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
A new member of the family!
There were no June Birthdays...that is until Carissa arrived to Gianni & Jolene on June 6th.
Welcome to the family baby Carissa. We are a loud and sometimes obnoxious family, but be assured you'll be well fed, you'll never be bored, and you will always feel loved!
Congrats to Gianni, Jolene and family!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
May Birthday
A very Happy Happy Birthday to Jolene on May 15th!
Jolene we all wish you a fabulous birthday and love you lots!
Jolene we all wish you a fabulous birthday and love you lots!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Life in NJ
Hello my dear Family!!!!
Well, yesterday - Saturday April 9 - Samantha did her theater "debut" at her High School. Actually the whole thing was a combination of 10 different one-scene play that were written by students, and Samantha performed in one of them. She did a really good job as this neurotic young woman that's not sure what to do with her life after college. It was funny!!!
She's also continuing with her piano lessons, and is in jazz band in school, and this coming Thursday they'll have their spring concert. After which I believe she'll be able to become "normal" again, not stressed or freaking out!! - she's a typical Santamaria !!!!!!!
As for me, a month ago I started a second job working as a massage therapist at Massage Envy and Spa. I love it!!!! The sessions are quiet, with soft music, and every hour I get a new client and then it's between me and those ugly muscle knots on their backs. And the tips are not bad at all!!!!! Every night I sweat so much giving these massages....... I've already lost 10 pounds!!! For me it's like going to the gym: I get to sweat, I get to relax and I go home with money (from tips)......!!!! what else can I ask for!!!!!!!! And Samantha is ok with this arrangement.... so far.
Things at my school are not going very well. A year ago we got a new priest to be in charge of the school. This new priest, father Tom, must be around 60 yrs old and very much into himself, and he loves to win at whatever cost!!! So now the school numbers have gone down, especially in the lower grades. So the plans are that they will let go of teachers, especially in the lower grade classes. Right now we have two classes for each grade, and the plans, as I understand them, is that they will combine them into one class per grade, letting go of teachers. As a Spanish teacher I am safe this year and probably next one too!!!! However, I think I should start looking for a new job soon, what's your opinion? One thing to realize too is that our dear governor in NJ is very much against the teacher's union and has drastically cut down money for public schools. As a result, schools have had to cut spending and have had to let go of soooo many teachers!!!!!!!!!!! So NJ has sooo many teachers looking for teaching jobs and there are not enough openings out there. So I'm grateful, right now, to have a teaching job! even if the salary that I have is half (or less) than in public schools!!!!
Yesterday I went to visit Lucho in Bloomfield. He has moved everything out of the house, moved it into his house in Whitehouse Station. So now he uses his house as a warehouse, storing everything there. In Bloomfield he has painted the whole downstairs and the second floor. He is now fixing the basement and the third floor. The guy from the third floor left at the end of March, so now Lucho lives alone and is doing all the work himself!!! He wants to put the house in the market by the end of April; we'll see!!!!
For my birthday I'm planning on going to a chilean restaurant that's about 20 minutes from my house, it's called "Zapallar". So Samantha and I invited Lucho to come with us for that day. I just feel like having a good seafood chilean meal!!
I think I would like to come and visit you all and my mom sometime this summer, maybe June??? I'll let you all know if it happens.
Well, my dear Family, that's all for now. Hope you are all having a great spring time!!!!
All my love to you all!!!! kisses
Carolina and Samantha
Well, yesterday - Saturday April 9 - Samantha did her theater "debut" at her High School. Actually the whole thing was a combination of 10 different one-scene play that were written by students, and Samantha performed in one of them. She did a really good job as this neurotic young woman that's not sure what to do with her life after college. It was funny!!!
She's also continuing with her piano lessons, and is in jazz band in school, and this coming Thursday they'll have their spring concert. After which I believe she'll be able to become "normal" again, not stressed or freaking out!! - she's a typical Santamaria !!!!!!!
As for me, a month ago I started a second job working as a massage therapist at Massage Envy and Spa. I love it!!!! The sessions are quiet, with soft music, and every hour I get a new client and then it's between me and those ugly muscle knots on their backs. And the tips are not bad at all!!!!! Every night I sweat so much giving these massages....... I've already lost 10 pounds!!! For me it's like going to the gym: I get to sweat, I get to relax and I go home with money (from tips)......!!!! what else can I ask for!!!!!!!! And Samantha is ok with this arrangement.... so far.
Things at my school are not going very well. A year ago we got a new priest to be in charge of the school. This new priest, father Tom, must be around 60 yrs old and very much into himself, and he loves to win at whatever cost!!! So now the school numbers have gone down, especially in the lower grades. So the plans are that they will let go of teachers, especially in the lower grade classes. Right now we have two classes for each grade, and the plans, as I understand them, is that they will combine them into one class per grade, letting go of teachers. As a Spanish teacher I am safe this year and probably next one too!!!! However, I think I should start looking for a new job soon, what's your opinion? One thing to realize too is that our dear governor in NJ is very much against the teacher's union and has drastically cut down money for public schools. As a result, schools have had to cut spending and have had to let go of soooo many teachers!!!!!!!!!!! So NJ has sooo many teachers looking for teaching jobs and there are not enough openings out there. So I'm grateful, right now, to have a teaching job! even if the salary that I have is half (or less) than in public schools!!!!
Yesterday I went to visit Lucho in Bloomfield. He has moved everything out of the house, moved it into his house in Whitehouse Station. So now he uses his house as a warehouse, storing everything there. In Bloomfield he has painted the whole downstairs and the second floor. He is now fixing the basement and the third floor. The guy from the third floor left at the end of March, so now Lucho lives alone and is doing all the work himself!!! He wants to put the house in the market by the end of April; we'll see!!!!
For my birthday I'm planning on going to a chilean restaurant that's about 20 minutes from my house, it's called "Zapallar". So Samantha and I invited Lucho to come with us for that day. I just feel like having a good seafood chilean meal!!
I think I would like to come and visit you all and my mom sometime this summer, maybe June??? I'll let you all know if it happens.
Well, my dear Family, that's all for now. Hope you are all having a great spring time!!!!
All my love to you all!!!! kisses
Carolina and Samantha
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Growing Odin
Many wonderful things are happening in the Mark, Mary and Odin Santamaria Family. Odin like his father is as strong as a baby ox(Mark is as strong as an adult ox). Although Odin needs someone to help him balance he does have strength enough to stand. He has also has a new fascination with sucking on anything he can get his hands on. He is growing very big and looks cuter each day. Mary and I have been enjoying taking care of him and spending every minute with him. We have also made a very big decision that will affect the next three plus years. I will be quitting my job in Nov. of this year, Mary will be looking for a Part-time job, we will be staying here at my parents and the reason for everything previous is to make it possible for me to go back to school to finish my double major in Creative Writing and Illustration. Mary and I are both excited and looking forward to this plan.
Love,
~ Mark, Mary & Odin
Sunday, April 3, 2011
April Birthdays
A very Happy Birthday to all of the April Birthday's this month!
May you have a great day and even better year ahead of you!
Let's not forget to wish our family a Happy Birthday.
Caia-April 10th
Carolina-April 19th
Tito-April 22nd
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
A mini reunion.
A couple weeks ago I flew out to the lovely Bay area to stay with Gianni, Jolene and girls. It was a perfect weekend to go since Michael and Peter would be out there playing a couple lacrosse games.
It was great to see some of the family together again since we're all spread out in different states.
I had a great time catching up with everyone, playing with Sara and Caia and just enjoying time away from the daily hustle and bustle of life.
Until the next reunion!
~ Bev
It was great to see some of the family together again since we're all spread out in different states.
I had a great time catching up with everyone, playing with Sara and Caia and just enjoying time away from the daily hustle and bustle of life.
Until the next reunion!
~ Bev
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Updates from Francesca
Hola querida familia!
Life in the Bahamas is going very well. I am adapting well to the weather - I wear a sweater when it's 70 degrees outside. (I don't know what I would do if it dropped below 60. I didn't bring my winter parka.) I have started to make friends with the people in town - someone gave me a free pineapple that they grew in their own garden the other day! And today a friend gave me a ride to work in a golf cart.
I tutor a 17 year old boy at his family's "house." They live at the resort that they own. It's a beautiful place, and as long as he's getting good grades in English, Social Studies, and Spanish, then everyone is happy. In the afternoons, three days a week, I help out at the nearby primary school. The 5th graders have a big test coming up and I'm helping them with their math. We're trying to memorize the times tables and get a firm grasp on prime numbers right now. I spend my evenings working on little crafts - either making jewelry from sea glass or paper mache bowls and plates. Ask Beverly for some pictures of the paper mache stuff. I've started selling those for a little side money and even though they're not all the rage yet, I'm sure with time they will be more popular than leggings or hummus.
What is in the future for me after I get home in May? I have no idea. I'm looking at jobs in Miami because I really love the warm weather. It's a nice contrast to living in Maine for four years and I'm not ready to give up the sun yet. (Don't worry, I wear my sunscreen. I still don't look as Chilean as I could... Michael and Peter are still darker than me. I don't know if I will ever be able to compete with them.) I have a lot of ideas, some more plausible than others, and we'll see which ones I pursue. Acting and theater, public relations, paper mache, baking, farming, grad school, marrying for money - just some of the ideas floating around in my head. I love you all and I look forward to seeing the new baby cousins before they get too old and don't know who I am. (That would be a tragedy.)
Os mando un abrazo y muchos besos,
I tutor a 17 year old boy at his family's "house." They live at the resort that they own. It's a beautiful place, and as long as he's getting good grades in English, Social Studies, and Spanish, then everyone is happy. In the afternoons, three days a week, I help out at the nearby primary school. The 5th graders have a big test coming up and I'm helping them with their math. We're trying to memorize the times tables and get a firm grasp on prime numbers right now. I spend my evenings working on little crafts - either making jewelry from sea glass or paper mache bowls and plates. Ask Beverly for some pictures of the paper mache stuff. I've started selling those for a little side money and even though they're not all the rage yet, I'm sure with time they will be more popular than leggings or hummus.
What is in the future for me after I get home in May? I have no idea. I'm looking at jobs in Miami because I really love the warm weather. It's a nice contrast to living in Maine for four years and I'm not ready to give up the sun yet. (Don't worry, I wear my sunscreen. I still don't look as Chilean as I could... Michael and Peter are still darker than me. I don't know if I will ever be able to compete with them.) I have a lot of ideas, some more plausible than others, and we'll see which ones I pursue. Acting and theater, public relations, paper mache, baking, farming, grad school, marrying for money - just some of the ideas floating around in my head. I love you all and I look forward to seeing the new baby cousins before they get too old and don't know who I am. (That would be a tragedy.)
Os mando un abrazo y muchos besos,
~ Francesca
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