Meet my dad Cresencio :)

To those of you who don't already know, I am half Mexican. Actually let me correct myself.... I am double Mexican and Caucasian. My mom used to get so upset when we'd say "half" because she felt like we weren't giving proper respect to our heritage. She insisted that we said "double? Really, now that I think about it, saying "double" doesn't really make much sense. It would have made more sense to say "I am equal parts Mexican and Caucasian." ANYWAY, discussing my ethnic background really isn't the purpose of this post at all.

Introducing mi papi!

I actually never called him that.

Ok, "introducing my dad!!"

This is Cresencio Mendoza Vasquez

(Crey-SEN-see-oh)

No, he is not pregnant. I am 6 months along in this picture.

This is something that I NEVER would have thought that I would see. We never owned a trampoline growing up and dad was always working on something instead of playing. Oh well, he had a great time playing with him on this particular day.

Leilani (25) my sister with Sarahi (8) and Hisabela (7) my half sisters playing crack the egg.

My dad, the gardener. You think YOU can grow something? He can grow ANYTHING! His yard had peach trees, plum trees, tomatoes, peppers (in all their varieties) tomatillos, zucchini, cucumbers, corn, radishes, onions, all sorts of herbs, and the list goes on... I remember when we were growing up, he would wake up EVERY morning and walk through his garden singing to his plants. He swore that it was the biggest reason his garden grew so well, was because the plants knew that he loved them and wanted them to grow. It apparently works. He would lovingly call his plants his babies.

This picture makes me laugh! Nice double chin dad!!! You know when you think you look good and then you see a picture of yourself? When I showed him this picture on my camera, he couldn't believe how chunky he's gotten.

Really it's not funny, but listening to my dad??? It was hilarious!

Growing up, my mom liked all things Native American. We had turquois carpet and Native American printed wallpaper. Our walls and shelves were decorated with all things Native American :) Now my dad's (let's call her "girlfriend" for all intents and purposes) has gone the traditional Mexican route in decor. Oh well, to each their own right? Anyway, this is a picture of Dad, Me, Hisabela, (some random cousin of theirs poking her head out) Leilani and Sarahi. I cracked up over this picture of my dad too! Man, I love him!

My dad taught me all about work. He has worked hard all of his life and always works hard to make sure that it is his best. I will always admire him for his willingness to work. He's a good man.