The Twins Turn 79

If you know me pretty well, then you know that two of my favorite people in the WHOLE world our my twin aunts, Tia Allie and Tia Odie!!! We say, "tia" on my dad's sad, which is spanish for aunt, because we're Panamanian! Yes, thats right, maybe you're learning something new about me today. I'm 1/4th Panamanian…you know Panama, the country…not panama city…hahaha! Believe it or not, I've been asked that before. My grandmother was panamanian, who married my grandfather who was American, hence forth I'm a fourth, because my dad married an american woman too. Well my grandmother spoke very little English, and hardly ever, so needless to say I loved her to death, grew up my whole life around her, but never had a full conversation with her where someone wasn't translating. My two aunts, Allie and Odie, are the oldest in my dad's family and our 20 yrs older than my dad. They were second moms to him, and very much like grandmothers till this day to me! Some of my favorite memories as a child are of Christmas Eve and being so excited to see my Tia Allie, who lived just down the street from us, because she always brought us a gift on christmas eve….our Christmas PJs!!! And the present was always wrapped up so perfectly, with a FANCY bow and stickers all over the card. :)

Anyways, my cousins, Kerri and Karen, came into town last weekend to celebrate my aunts' 79th birthday! It was so good to spend time with the family and enjoy each others company. Also it was great for Eric to spend some time around our extended family he doesn't know too well. :)

The Birthday Girls!! My Tia Allie on the left, and Tia Odie on the right!

Think Mrs. Doubtfire and they are exactly like that!!!! Hehe, not the manly part of course hahaha

At the yacht club with my handsome hubby!

My Tia Allie!!! Best Woman Ever! And my niece Allie, who was named after Tia Allie! Thats how much we love this lady in our family!!!!

My cousins Karen and Kerri with my brother Eric and my niece Allie…she got passed around!

Other good news of the week, I took my first two tests in my Pharmacology and Health Assessment graduate classes and got A's on both! So I'm pretty happy about that! Just need to pound out a paper and a project this weekend, and study for a test in Pathophys for Monday! YIKERS! 

Also, our two nieces, Caellie and Maddie, on Eric's side of the family competed in their first Junior rodeo in Star Valley this week, and Caellie won her first belt buckle!!! We're so proud of her, and of Maddie for competeing!! Maddie's such a girly girl, but I think Caellie is rubbing off a little on her :) If only we could have been there to cheer them on! :( We love those girls and all of our Hale family and miss them so much already!

Caellie Competing! She is 9!! Can hardly believe it…she was 4 when I first met her. Eric brought me to his house with some friends of ours during a summer break from school after a rafting trip! She is growing up to be quite an amazing young lady! And I get to call her my niece now so thats pretty cool! hahaha