Ladies Scrapbooking Retreat....

This past weekend the Camp hosted a Ladies Scrapbooking Retreat. It took a lot of time and effort to organize but we are happy to say that it was a great success and Blessing! The ladies got there around 9 am, registered and had breakfast. After that, we had some fun games, songs, and the Message. At around noon we had a delicious lunch and then our scrapbooking class (most of the ladies had never even heard of scrapbooking). It was a great beginners class! The ladies caught on fast and quickly went to work! The rest of the afternoon was scrapbooking, with relaxing music in the background and even cookies and coffee!
Everyone seemed to have enjoyed it and we are Thankful that we had 45 ladies with us that day!
For all the pics click here! :)

Mothers Day...

It was a wonderful Mothers day this year! The Church service was great and lunch afterwards was delicious! I had always wanted to be in on Mother's day when I was growing up. I couldn't wait to feel special on that day. And now I've been blessed to Celebrate it several times! I got a beautiful bouquet of pink and white roses, a card, and a new dress from the hubby, and a cute card from Justin! I also received gifts from Linda and my Suegra!!! Thanks Ladies! Sarai took pictures of Justin and I, grandma with all the grandkids, and then one of us sis-in-laws! :)I've got to admit the one of Justin and I is one my favorites EVER!!! :D

I hope everyone's mothers day was just as SPECIAL!!!

Love to ALL!

another Mendoza on the way...... :)

Yup! Were expecting another BABY!!!!!!!!!!! Here is the very first Sono of the new little Mendoza at 8 weeks along!! :)
Were Excited and happy and shocked all at the same time!!! :D Keep us in your prayers, especially for me please...the morning sickness has been pretty horrible.
My due date is December 11th so we've got a good 7 months to go!!! yippie!! (me being sarcastic)
Love ya'll :D
John, Blandy and Justin

A Year-and-a-Half of pure joy!!!

This week Justin turned 18 months!!!!!!!!!! he weighs 21.5 lbs and is about 30 inches tall (yea he's a petite one) :) He's got 6 complete teeth and 2 more coming in! We have been a different family since he came along and we owe so much of our new found joy to him!! Everyday is something new with him weather its a new word or expression, or ability, and we are so Thankful that the Lord has brought him this far, healthy and happy as can be!

We Love you Justin Reagan!!!!

Love,

Mami, and Daddy

FLORIDA FUN!!!!

So, were back!!!! Its so good to be home! and it was so good to have gone to Florida!!

We had such a fun time!! We flew out of the valley on Thursday the 3rd and just arrived home late last night. Justin was such a trooper, he did great on all the plane rides and enjoyed looking out the window at the wing and engine of the planes. While in Florida he also got a new tooth and some new words! His vocabulary is expanding almost daily. He's in that stage where they repeat everything you say, it so cute!

Josue and Ale's Wedding was on Saturday the 5th and it turned out very nice. We had a wonderful time hanging out with all the cousins and tios, Abuelo was also there so that made it extra special too (he gave a prayer at the wedding which was very cute). The next day was the Sunday service (which i couldn't attend cause i was sick) :( but i felt better that evening and we all went to Orlando for dinner. On Monday a bunch of us went to Busch Gardens where Justin saw elephants and giraffes and lions and the bigger kids went on rides...my main objective was to take pictures so i had a good time doing that. :) Tuesday we traveled to Orlando once again and went to Magic Kingdom with Josue and Ale...yes the newlyweds!!! They hadn't left for their honeymoon yet so they went with us...that was very nice of them :) I felt a little bad about that but Josue insisted that they WANTED to be with us! hehe! It was a great time and it wouldn't have been the same without them! :)

On Wednesday we visited Clearwater Christian College (our Alma Mater). We got to see old professors and Administration and took some pictures it was a beautiful day! That evening we headed back to Lakeland for Church and dinner at tios house. Thursday we packed up, went to the mall where John met up with a good friend of his and his wife, then we finally headed home....wheeeew!! I'm tired just writing about it! Today I will unpack and catch up on work!

Love ya'll!

Florida Pics

Rally in the Valley 2008

This year's Rally was in typical fashion an amazing blessing!!! The day was gorgeous and the atmosphere was one of excitement and fun! We had about 1,000 register and 100 staff!!! God is good He brought everyone out safely and kept everyone safe throughout the day! (that's always a big prayer for these kinds of events) :)

There were 2 preaching services where Evangelist Bryan Samms gave the gospel. We are happy to report that 43 souls were won to the Lord and 26 other commitment decisions were made!
It was so much fun spending time with the Rally team as well,they have such an infectious joy and they are a hard working bunch! We miss them when they leave and cant wait to see them next year!

I cant believe how fast time flys. It feels like just yesterday that I was blogging about Rally 2007!! Justin was able to enjoy it so much more this year even though I must admit it was a lot harder running registration with an active 17 month old! :) I think I'm gonna have to hire a baby sitter for next year! :D

Thanks to all of you who prayed and helped out that day!!

I'll be posting more pics of the Rally on our album site later! :)

So Much in March!! :)

So far it has been a busy month!! We've had groups at the camp, a couple of Birthday parties, and a Livestock Show!! This year the Camp was able to showcase a booth where we passed out brochures and talked to people about the great opportunity to send their kiddos to a Christian Summer camp. There were many that knew of the camp and had been there years ago. There were also others that had never heard of it, so it was a great opportunity. We had a tremendous response from everyone we talked to. Many volunteers from our church made it out to the show grounds to help run the booth and for them we are thankful!!! It started on the 6th and just ended yesterday so it was a long but Fun 10 days!!!
One of the nights we went just for fun and attended the RODEO!!! I love the rodeo!!! it was a blast! and Justin really enjoyed the Horses! Last year we went when Justin was only 4 months old and to go back this year...its amazing to see what a difference a year makes! He was able to enjoy it so much more!! :)
This week we'll be making the final preparations for our Annual Rally in the Valley!!! Its on Saturday the 22nd...keep that day in your prayers as it has rendered many new lives to Christ in years past.
My next endevour is selling stuff on Ebay...I have so much that i could just get rid of and I would love to make $$$ in the process...so if there are any experienced Ebayers out there let me know how its been?? (and of course I'll also donate to good causes ;) After Rally we'll be Spring Cleaning at our house so thats where i plan to find my "junk" and try to sell it...:)
Well, We hope all is well with everyone and we ask that you pray for John's Grandmother who has been ill these days with a respiratory problem...thank you!
Love Ya'll :)
check out all the pics!!!

SO...were back from our trip, were done with the Missions Conference (which was awesome), and were trying to take a little breather here! :) We had a wonderdul time at the camp conference and learned so much. I was able to attend some sessions that were so helpful and beneficial to what I do for the camp. John and Jason did as well, and they are pumped with all the new knowledge! I thank God for His journeys mercies and for giving us a son that is a great lil traveler! :)

We've got a group at the camp this weekend and pretty much every weekend after that, so i definitely feel the "camp season" coming upon us. It gets hard sometimes cause John is gone a lot but i know God will give us the strength to make it through...plus I like to tag along with him once in a while! :)

We covet your prayers!

New Pics!

V-day...Out of town...Missions Conference...Camp

Hello there everyone. Just wanted to quicly update on our month so far. We had our Annual Valentines day banquet last night and it was a lot of fun! I think the couples really enjoyed themselves with all the different things planed for the night. :)

Please pray for us as we head out to Louisiana tomorrow.We'll be going to a Camp Directors Conference called "tweakage" at Southland Camp. John has gone before and says they are a great Blessing, so I'm excited to learn many new things there. When we return, we'll be having our Missions conference and that should be a Blessing as well. The choir will be singing, our kids program will be performing a play and Linda, Sarai and I will be singing a song, so pray that the Lord gives us the energy to chug along and make it through this next week or so.

The camp keeps thriving! Praise the Lord! At the moment there are a group of retired ladies and gentelmen called "Sowers" that are helping with some landscaping and painting. They do a great job and it brightens our day when we get to talk to them. SO as I write this I ask that you keep us in your prayers! We Love ya'll!!!

OH and P.S.

props to my hubby for a wonderful Valentines day!!!!!! :)

A Dear Abby you gotta READ!!! ;)

Dear Abby,
My husband is a liar and a cheat. He has cheated on me from the beginning, and, when I confront him, he denies everything. What's worse, everyone knows that he cheats on me. It is so humiliating. Also, since he lost his job six years ago, he hasn't even looked for a new one. All he does all day is smoke cigars, cruise around and shoot the bull with his buddies, while I have to work to pay the bills. Since our daughter went away to college he doesn't even pretend to like me, and sometimes even hints that I may be a lesbian. What should I do?
Signed: Clueless


Dear Clueless:
Grow up and dump him. Good grief woman! You don't need him anymore! You're a Senator from New York running for President of the United States. Act like one.
Signed: Abby

at wal-mart...

I had such a good time with justin at wal-mart this morning that I just had to write about it! He's always loved being out and in front of people, but today it was so evident HOW much he loves it!
As soon as we walked in he began saying "hi" and waving to people as we strolled on by. He would pick someone out in the aisle we were in and just start flirting, talking and laughing with them-anything to get their attention and keep it! Of course he got a response from all of them and that made him extra happy! When it was time to leave the aisle and move on to the next item on our list he would wave and say"bye" then go on to his next target. :)
When we got to the Vegetable section he was calling out for the "ball"! but i couldn't figure out where he had seen one! As i passed the tomatoes he made it clear that he wanted the "ball"!
It was so funny!! i gave him the tomato to "play" with and eventually bought it for him! (I'll be making a salad with it for dinner tonight) :)

February Fun...

Hey everyone! Just wanted to post about our upcoming month and all the plans we have for it...its gonna be a busy one and were gonna need lots of energy for it!

Justin turned 15 months in January and to see him look like such a "big boy" now has been so fun. He's very verbal and social, but has started throwing temper tantrums when he does'nt get his way... NOT FUN!so discipline is gonna be one of our main focuses this month!

John will be taking yet another trip next week...(he just came back from Nicaragua 2 weeks ago). He'll be going to Veracruz with his dad and a team that organizes the "rally's" all over Mexico. Since its there first time in Veracruz they needed some help with the logisitcs. After he comes back We'll be going on ANOTHER trip to Louisiana to a Camp Directors Conference. That should be fun! When we come back from that, we'll be getting ready for a Valentines day banquet on the 16th, and then our annual Missions Conference. Its one of the most Important conferences of the year for our church and the choir will be singin in it. It promises to be a wonderful confernce and we pray that all turns out well! Were also planning a trip to SanAntonio to visit a couple of friends and to have a good time, and there will be rentals at the camp on some of the weekends. So pray for us please! I also want to get strated on a couple of scarpbook projects that ive never done before so that should be fun for me! I also started taking piano lessons (new years resolution) and its going shall we say...ok :) I dont have much patience with myself so REALLY pray for that! hehe!

Anyway as is tradition for me to say..."Have a Wonderful February everyone!!!!!"

Farmer Justin

So a few weeks back we went to Rio Bravo Mexico (where i was born) because we wanted to visit some relatives we hadn't seen in a while, and because my dad wanted to take justin to see his farmlands and tractor! We had a great time and justin loved it out there! :)

Youth Retreat 2007 "Be Real"

Here is the link for the Pictures from this years youth Retreat that was held at the Camp. We had special speaker Matt Herbster, program director of the Wilds Camp in North Carolina. He was a great blessing to all and we are happy to have met him and spent time learning a lot from him. There were also many activities that were held during the retreat including a "winter festival", ice skating, and a Hockey game that the 180 youth enjoyed! We are so thankful that the Lord blessed this activity with Decisions from young people to "Be Real" in their walk with the Lord and to go back to their home churches with a new resolve to be used by God!

Our Christmas Season...

This Christmas Season for us was great! Busy, but great! I guess we like it that way cause we never seem to catch a break, its always one thing after another. December was no exception! In the beginning my mom had minor surgery for a vocal chord polyp. She got it removed and is doing very well now thank the Lord. We went to a very fun dinner theatre that same night and as we were getting ready Justin swallowed a PENNY!!! of course i got just a tad hysterical!!! We called the doctor right away and he said it was pretty common but to just keep an eye out for it in his poop....well 5 days later he hadn't pooped it out!!! We were so worried cause the doc said he might have to go to a specialist and in the worst case get it removed surgically!!! Well, we got to praying hard and fast that the Lord get us through that one! We had the whole church,my family and friends praying that he poop that penny out!!! 5 days later he did!!! I was so mad cause after so many days of savaging through disgusting poop John was the one that found it while i was out!!!!! To say the least we are THANKFUL for that little miracle! :)
On the 20th John and I celebrated our 4th anniversary!!! He had a few special things planned for me and he made it a memorable day! He surprised me with an I-pod and a little trip to the Island! It was fun!! Right after that was the Christmas Drama and Cantata and thank the Lord that that was a wonderful success and Blessing!
On the 24th we traveled down to my "roots"! its a little town where my grandparents are originally from near Monterrey Mexico. Once there, we had a good time walking around town taking pictures and visiting cousins and relatives. There was a Tamale feast at my Grandmas house of course and lots of gifts to open...even though Justin ended up sleeping through that part of it. Mommy did him the favor though and he got lots of neat gifts! :)
The next day we traveled back to my In-laws for Christmas day!!! My suegra had a delicious Ham dinner prepared!!! We had the Christmas story and then opened gifts!!! I got some cozy PJ's form Jim, John got a Movie and chocolates from Gabi, and Justin ni que se diga! :)

If you have read this far...wow!! im proud of you! Im almost done with the novel...just hold tight! :)
On the 26th was our annual youth retreat!!! It was the best one ever!!! Jason and John headed up a lot of the activities, I taught a class and sang, and Justin had a great time seeing all new people. It was held at the camp and some of the activities included Mini-golf, Ice-Skating, a winter festival, and a Minor league Hockey game!!! that was the best!!! There were about 180 youth there and they all seemd to have really enjoyed it.
Our new years was great too because we went to visit my dad's side of the family in Rio Bravo Mexico. They were so happy to see Justin and we had fun going to my dad's ranch. Justin got on the tractor with grandpa and didnt want to get off! After that we came home for Church that night....It is the greatest to receive the New year in church, and in Prayer! I am so excited for this new year! We have many plans and ideas that we have put in the Lord's hands to help us see through...Thanks for reading this far!!!
Love you all!!
Click here for our Christmas pic's

I'll be posting pics of the retreat and the ranch later :)

It's the most Wonderful time of the Year....

Wishing everyone a Wonderful Christmas and a Proseperous New Year!!!!
From our Family to Yours!
Love,
John, Blandy and Justin Mendoza

and He WALKS!!!!! :)

Hey there everyone! Its been a busy month for us! We had a Concert (for my mom's 25th anniversary of singing), my brother Aaron visited us from California, a Wedding that I sang at, Jason Anthony's 2nd B-day Party, a Special Thanksgiving service that the choir and myself participated in, and then the trip to Georgia!!! wheeeeeeew!!!

I am so thrilled to announce that Justin now walks!!! It happened on Thanksgiving day while we were up in the Georgia Mountains...It was a great moment!!! and speaking of Thanksgiving, we had a great time this year! We traveled up to Georgia on November 20th and stayed up in a beautiful cabin with Jason,Linda Jeremy, and Richelle and the kiddos of course. While up there we spent our days traveling about 45 minutes to get to Uncle Larry's Cabin, hang out there and take in the gorgeous views. Thanksgiving day was awesome as we ate good food, met some of John's cousins, and then witnessed Justin walking all over the place!!!! It was right on his 13 month anniversary :)

On Saturday the 24th we traveled 8 hours to Wilmington NC to stay the night at unlce Larry's so we could visit Grandmother Adams (johns grandma) the next day. It was such a great visit, and we were so glad to see Grandmother looking strong and beautiful! She was so happy to see Justin because last time we visited her he was in my tummy (4 months preggers)...We headed back to Atlanta and stayed in a Beautiful side of town where there was a HUGE MALL!!!! :D So, needless to say I had a great time there! On Tuesday the 27th we flew home and BOY were we ready for it!!!!! All in all Justin did great! He is a good little traveler- doesn't fuss at all being in the car seat for so long, loves plane rides and the airport where he just loves to look at all the people and wants to be part of the action! he's a funny lil kid! :)

Since then we've had no time to take a breather as we've had Church, Choir Practice, Christmas party's, We put up our tree, did lights outside and Decorations inside AND just yesterday Celebrated John's 27 Birthday!!! We had Lasagna and chocolate cake at our house after church. It was a great little get-together! Today I've been busy CLEANING HOUSE!!!! I'm tired but it feels good to get it done!

Anyway, I hope everyone had a wonderful November! Now its time to get REVED up for the greatest time of the year!!! CHRISTMAS!!!!!! don't stress people... SHOP ONLINE!!!! hahaha!

Love ya'll check out the pics!!!

"LAZY BOY" :)

OK...so its been about 2 weeks since I posted about Justin taking his very first steps, and 2 weeks later...he keeps taking tiny steps!!!!! He figures that its much faster to get where he wants to go by crawling or holding on to the furniture!!! So, im getting a little impatient! I want to see him walk so bad!! :) Do any moms out there have advice for me??? How can I get this kid to get going!!! hahaha!
lazy boy! :D

HIS FIRST STEP!!!

Hey there everyone! I hope all is well in your world's! :)

Its so amazing to reflect back on the year we've had being Justin's parents. I cant say it enough-Im so thankful to God for how He has kept us safe and has allowed Justin to grow in so many ways. At this point in his life, Justin is almost walking! I cant believe it! TODAY HE TOOK HIS VERY FIRST STEP!!!!! (i almost cried and was super excited!).He's been gliding along the furniture and walls for quite a while now, but today he finally dared to take his very first step, (towards a BALL of course) :) I got him back up and tried it again and agian...with everytime him taking a baby step then falling on his hiney! But it was such a wonderful moment to see! Even HE was Excited! It will be a huge milestone for him when he actaully starts walking, and for me too! Its the beginning of more independence and more running around after him im sure! But still I cant wait! He's such a silly boy too! He loves to make faces and entertain others as much as he can...and there is no such thing as a stranger to him. At this moment his vocabulary consists of words like mom,dad,atin (justin)ball,baball (baseball) Cookk (cookie),gapa (grandpa) nononono, and thi thi thi (si si si) hehe! He's very talkatative!

Were also entering the stage of more discipline and where he understands when he's doing something wrong, sometimes i feel like all i say is "justin NO" but i know thats a part of life and the sooner we start the better!

October was the FASTEST month i have ever experienced in my LIFE! It just went by too fast! I cant believe were in November already. This month we'll be taking a couple of trips and enjoying some vacation time. Have a great November everyone!!! I'll update some more later on Justin's walking endeavours! (i say it'll be about 2 more weeks for true walking to begin) :)

Click here for all the October pic's of our family!

Justin turns ONE today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today is Justin's 1st Birthday!!!!! and I just want to thank God for a Wondeful Year that we have had the privelage to share with our son. He has been the best thing that has ever happened in our lives, and he is an amazing little Boy! On saturday the 20th we had a Big Party for him at the camp and there were over 100 people there! He did great! Didn't cry once :) Of course we took TONS of pics and posted them all for you to see. So, for those friends and family that couldn't make it, here's a glimpse of that fun-filled day we had!!! click here