L.A. Family Visit

Posted by normajean in Vacations

Mateo and Mommy took one last 2011 trip to sunny So. Cal to visit family and friends.  It had been almost a year since our last visit and we couldn’t wait to see everyone and eat some good (fatty) food. Diego picked us up at the airport and our fist stop was getting an In-n-Out burger! yes.. double double with grilled onion!

Mateo had fun playing with his cousins Diego and Brianna and eating Titi Hilda’s yummy food (hello.. albondigas and arroz con leche). The weather was great, except for the last day when we decided to go to the beach with Titi Carmen and it was overcast.. we still had lots of fun and Mateo loved playing in the sand.

We both missed Daddy very much and were super excited to see him back in Ohio.  Maybe next time we can all travel together… and visit more often.

Thank you Titi Hilda for taking care of us…

 

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Gonzo Family Reunion – 2011

Posted by Jay in Featured Articles, Vacations

Woohoo!  Another year and we’re back at it for our yearly annual reunion and this time we back to the campground.  This time we headed towards northern NY state and the Finger Lakes area to Watkins Glen State Park. It was named one of the top campgrounds in the state with picturesque hiking trails, waterfalls, a gorge, tons of shade, an olympic-size pool, and tons of amenities with nearby Seneca Lake only 15minutes away – all of which we got a chance to experience.

Weather was great for the first three days so we took advantage and set up our tents quickly to get settle in.  Norma got to making her tasty Chilli while waiting for the rest of the families to arrive, with Jr. and Justin getting in the latest in the wee hours of the morning.  The cousins were happy to see every one all over again and excited for all the activities to do on the weekend.

On Friday, as is customary, every family takes a turn making meals and Chris and Kelly threw down a hearty campground breakfast.  We then went on our first excursion and took off on a family hike to the gorge, which was picturesque with the falls and pools of water all around us.  The hike did kicked most of our butts.. so we split into those who roughed it back and those of us who – lets just say some cheated on their way back by getting a ride to the site.. We came back and settled in for lunch to relax and then dinner by the campfire.

The next day we had another good breakfast and a few of us decided to go out to the lake for a boatride while half the family went out to the big camp pool to soak up some sun. The boat ride on the lake was fun, where everyone had the opportunity to drive the boat, including Mateo, Olivia.. and Rico Suave (Justin). Its was a pure blast scooting all around the lake in our pontoon boat and the kids were petered out at the end of it. We came back and played a pick-up game of basketball for the boy’s bragging rights.

We had a great weekend, but ended up packing and taking down tents in the rain (because of hurricane Irene).  Other than the hurricane, and the crazy drive back to home through it – we all had a blast! See you guys again next year!

Tons more camping pictures are posted here in our gallery.

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Norma’s Birthday – 2011

Posted by normajean in Vacations

Happy Birthday to me!  Niagara Falls style… Had a great birthday weekend with my family in Niagara Falls.  The view from our room was amazing.. fireworks show every night right outside our window.  We took a ride (Mateo’s first) on this huge Ferris wheel, which overlooked the main strip and ended the first day with dinner celebration at the Hard Rock Cafe (see the video).

The next day, we went on a (very long) walk to see the falls up-close and also took a ride on the Maid of the Mist boat ride and got soaked!  (much needed due to the hot weather!).  Our weekend ended with the best dinner I’ve had in a long time at Skylon Tower on the revolving floor (the picture of the three of us below says it all with the look on Mateo’s face :) ).  On our way out of Canada we took a drive through some vineyards, ate at a quaint little breakfast place over at Niagara on the Lake then finally headed back to the US and back home.  Thank you family for a the best birthday ever!

As usual the rest of the trip’s pics can be found here in our family gallery.

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I love L.A…

Posted by normajean in Vacations

With temps between 75 – 80 degrees, who wouldn’t!  Mateo and mommy flew to So Cal to visit our family and friends for a couple of days.  Mateo was super excited to get on a plane, although, I don’t know if he knew we were actually up in the air… all I can say, is thank you Buzz Lightyear!  Toy Story saved us from a very long flight from Ohio to California.

Mateo enjoyed the weather playing with his cousin Diego and spending lots of time with Tia Hilda… and of course, eating lots of great food!  We also had an opportunity to take Mateo to the beach for the first time.. we went to Hermosa Beach with Brianna and Mateo loved it!  Mateo was a little unsure about the feel of the sand on his feet or the ocean waves crashing, but did not want to leave when it was time to go home.  I’m sure he will be surfing these waters sometime in his future.  By the time we flew home, Mateo and mommy were exhausted and missing daddy very much.  We left LA at 80 degrees and arrived in Columbus at 12 degrees.  Welcome home.

The rest of the pics can be seen here in our Gallery under Vacations/LA Trip 2011.

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Thanksgiving 2010

Posted by Jay in New York, Vacations

Another year and another chance to drive over to Grandma and Grandpa’s for some yummy Turkey dinner with a sprinkle of Dominican food. I know what everyone thinks “My mom makes the best tasting food” – Hold onto that thought and don’t ever visit our Grandma’s house because along with eating the best food eva, you’ll need to talk to your therapist afterwards for the undoubted dissapointment that will occur once you compare :)

Along with full tummies, we threw around some football while the little ones chased the chickens around the yard and generally just poked around, getting into trouble wherever they could. Never mind the cold, but we drove off to feed some deer at the park and then danced the night away making the most embarrassing moves ever to be witnessed while playing on the Wii.

The time went by fast and then Norma, Mateo and I headed back on the road for our 9 hour drive back to Columbus with a cooler full of platanos y salsichon to enjoy back home.

Tons of more pictures are posted as usual in the gallery here.

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Gonzo Family Reunion – 2010

Posted by Jay in Vacations

Another year gone by and the time has come for another annual get-together of all the Gonzalez family brothers and their families. Last year we roughed it by camping in the hills of central Pennsylvannia – this year we decide to go extreme roughing it by renting a family-sized cabin in the mountains of West Virginia :) It was tough I tell ya.

Needless to say, we were very well comfortable and there was room for all 14 of us to sleep and play throughout the huge cabin. Most of the family arrived on Thurs afternoon-evening but Rene & Rose could get in till later Friday due to work. But after everyone staked out their place to squat – we began the weekend’s activities of eating, drinking, playing and catching up on the year’s events.

Friday we ate a hearty breakfast and then took a family hike from the cabin down to the nearby fishing ponds. Going down was much much easier than climbing back up. Everyone was on the lookout for the local area bears and wildlife but alas, no luck this year. We came back, played some horseshoes and ate lunch and settled in playing relaxing while the teens played video games down in the media basement. We corralled some wood nearby and then chatted the night away by the campfire drinking Jr’s Happy Juice concoction.

We all woke up on Saturday to the smell of a good Dominican breakfast that was followed by an army-sized pot of Sancocho that Rose cooked up for lunch that could’ve fed half the mountainside.  That is going to have to be a recurring meal from here on out it was that good. We relaxed on the hammocks and the hottub was getting good use most the day while Jr. and the boys went off adventuring looking for the local swimming spots by the river.  More horseshoes, dominoes, foosball and other fun was the order of the rest of the day while we got a roaring campfire going for that night.

All in all it was a blast and all the kids and family had a great time.  The drive was long but well worth it and the cabin was pretty much perfect and had everything we needed. We will definitely be back again and can’t wait till next summer where we’ll meet again for our annual gathering.

All the rest of the photos can be found Here within the Gallery.

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