Orlando South Stake Cultural Festival

Representing Puerto Rico 

Yesterday we had a Cultural Festival at our Stake. The Stake Center was packed with people. We all had a great time.  Everyone was happy. It is so wonderful to come together, people from all over the world and have a good time, enjoy each others culture and traditions.  It was a wonderful activity, with dances, food, displays and flag parade.  

I was told a week before the festival that they wanted me to dress up and be one of the greeters.  I panicked because I thought I had nothing to wear and no time to make something.  I remembered that I have this white skirt that could work but I did not have a blouse.  I went online and I could find nothing. After about 3 hours of searching I found this "vintage" blouse that looked like it could work so I bought it.  I prayed that it would get here in time for the festival.  I ordered it Friday and by Monday it came!!!  It was OK but it needed a little something to make more like a Puertorrican blouse.  I added the white trim around the top and that made it better.  I had the blue sash from Ashley's wedding.  I wore a necklace and a flower on my hair. That was perfect, the Puertorrican flag is those colors, red, white and blue so I was happy with how it all worked out. They are planning on doing it again next year so now I am ready with my outfit!!

With my friend Tachi Ordinola from Mexico

With Matty Steemstra from Panama. Her husband is from Holland. That was her wedding dress about 14 years ago.  That dress is called a Pollera.

This is Elizabeth Richards from our old Ward.  She is Brittany's friend since Primary.  We used to give her rides to church and back all the time. It was great to see her and her baby.

With Johanna Lopez, the Stake RS president, she is from Venezuela.

Alejandro Angulo-Zumba Master Class

On Wednesday, August 8, a few of my Zumba friends and I went to Alejandro Angulo's master class. He lives in China, but he is from Venezuela.  He teaches Zumba in China. He is a very good dancer so he goes on tour and does master classes all over the world.

With Alejandro

With Pedro Camacho. He was another one of the instructors that night dancing on stage with Alejandro.

Conner's first day of School/third grade

Today was Conner's first day of school. He is in third grade now, it is hard to believe.  He is in a new school and he loves it.  He was so happy when I picked him up from school today. I like that he gets to wear a uniform. I grew up wearing uniforms in my schools and I really like it.  I think the kids look so good in uniforms, all wearing the same clothes.

Sister Leila Muñoz' wedding

Sister Muñoz is Conner's Primary teacher.  She invited us to her wedding this past Saturday. She is from the Philippines.  Her dress was so beautiful.  She bought in the Philippines.  The decorations were so pretty.

She got married in the Orlando temple and then had a small program and explanation of the temple wedding for those who were present and did not know about the temple.  The kids in Conner's primary class got to sing primary songs at the  little program prior to the reception.

With Leila.  I thought she looked like a princess from the Philippines!!

Conner and the kids in his church class with Leila.

I wish this picture had turned out better.  The bride and groom.

Utah vacation

Brent and Parker at the pyramid

At  the Lyon House in Salt Lake

At the Beehive House in Salt Lake

Mirror Lake is Just beautiful

Up in the mountains on the way to Mirror Lake

Provo River falls

Provo River falls

First letter from Alison

Yesterday we received Alison's first letter from the MTC.  She said that on that first week at the MTC they did not have a p-day and they were asked to write a letter to their family.  She had her first opportunity to teach someone in Italian.  Her companion is Sorella Willis from Jacksonville, FL.  They were excited that they are both from FL.  There are 6 girls in her room, 3 going to Spanish and 3 going to Italian. There were 28 missionaries that came the same day as Alison that are going to Italy, 11 to Milan and 17 to Rome. She said they practice Italian 9 hours a day and about 8 of that is spent in the classroom. She ended saying that we don't have to worry. She knows how much her mother worries, haha.

Utah trip

Right after taking Alison to the MTC I stopped by my friend's Bimbi's house in Orem because I had heard that her mom was there visiting from Texas.  I have known sister Diaz since I was 8 years old, when my family joined the church.  She was a good friend to my mom and would often call her on the phone.  She cried a lot when she saw me.  Her daughter Bimbi was my first primary teacher and she also played the piano for our little branch back in the 70's.

A group of  my friends got together at the Adobos restaurant in Sandy. I have not seen many of these people in  many, many years. It just so happen that we were in Utah at the same time.  Some came from Oklahoma, California and other States, but many already live in Utah.  All of us were from my little Ponce Branch.

Edna, Myrna, Carmen and sister Malave

Estrella, Cindy, Niurka, Ilia and Magali

Dorany and bro. Irizarry

Martin and Maritza

Brother and Sister Quintana and Delmy.  Brother Quintana is my aunt Lipi's cousin.

I took Conner and Will to the Dinosaur park in Ogden and they had a great time.

Playing and having ice cream

While in Ogden I saw my friend Estrella