Guest Services

So we found out our job for the next rotation, and I will be doing Guest Services! I am super excited.. except for the fact that I will be outside a lot in the bitter cold. I'll just have to layer up.

Today, we have our second Ski Trip Group here, which has been a lot of fun.

Not a lot of new news over here.

Back to Below Zero.

Nothing says "Welcome Back" like a cold, below zero night. It might not have been below zero, but coming from home it might has well been that cold.

To be honest, I was a bit anxious about coming back. I don't think I was ready to leave home yet. I had just started spending time with everyone, and one week just isn't enough. But what are you gonna do. Another day, another dollar..right? Welcome to the real world, Gabi.

It was a long day of traveling, but I actually enjoy being in airports. I can just sit and stare at people for hours.

I was able to think a lot about my time at home, and it was just so great to be with family and friends. I got to hang out with my cousins a lot, which is always enough for me. They truly are my best friends. I love each one differently and in special ways. My brother and his girlfriend also made dinner for me and two of my cousins, which was so nice of them. We took our family portrait, with all the aunts, uncles, cousins, grandkids--the whole shabang. It was quite an event, but there is always laughter when we are together.

I even got to record my abuela, and have her just share some of her wisdom and advice. I wanted her to write me a letter, but it is kind of neat that now I can have her voice and it is something I can have forever.

I even got to go to the beach while I was home, but it was a freezing 68 degrees though. At least freezing for Miami. I got to see most everyone that I wanted to see, although I would have liked more time with them.

I had good conversation with my dad, and only wished I had more time with my mom. I can't wait for them to come out here.

Santa also brought me really great stuff, that was well needed. So even though, I miss home and being with family and friends, I am happy to be back with my friends. They are all so great, and I adore them.

The first person I saw was Audrey, in my lay over in Atlanta. And then it was Jena at the Denver Airport, and we were able to catch up on our time at home. Then Casey got there and finally Audrey got in. Alyse picked us all up and then we got to have dinner with her family, which was so great! It's so cool to meet family, and be able to see everyone in their element. I loved it. Thanks again for dinner Mama Cos and Papa Cos!

Well, we are back to the grind today, and a group is coming in. It is our first Ski trip of the season, and we have a busy busy month ahead of us, but we are all pretty excited.

I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas, and it was full of laughter and family and friends!

SO SOON!

I come home SO soon!!! In less than 48 hours!!!

So far I love everything about being out here...and on top of it all it gives me a whole new perspective on being home with family. As well, as a new perspective on the hot, wet air of Miami. Which by the way--I can't wait to get off that plane and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Humid air HERE I COME!

I can't wait to see everyone and just be able to be in civilization for a while. Again, let me mention--I love it out here..but there is just something about the City that always pulls me back!

Its funny that I in a city like Miami I feel Christmas more than I do out here in a snowy, white, cold town. I think it's cause Miami has all my memories and family. And what is Christmas without family and memories.

AH! I am just so excited to get home! The only thing about being home is I get a bit overwhelmed feeling like I have to see everyone and do so many things. And my time is limited at home--so I will have to use my time wisely.

Anyway, there has been a lot of things going on in the past week. This past week Jena, Grace, Casey, Stu and I, went to Denver to see "Spring Awakening", which was incredible. It was a bit risque, but the music just blew me away. We had our night in the city with dinner and the theater, and of course a little Starbucks in the mix. It couldn't have been a more perfect night.

Jena, Audrey and I went to Denver again this past weekend on our day off for some shopping. It was the first time I stepped into a mall in about 3 months--and I discovered that I think I may have an addiction--because when we were parking I started getting anxious seeing people walk out of the mall with shopping bags.

Just kidding--but I did get super excited walking into that mall. I actually didn't even buy much for myself, which I was happy about!

Then Sunday night, all of us interns went to Idaho Springs, and took an old-time western picture. It is a intern tradition. The previous intern classes have taken them and left a certificate for the next class to go and take it. The pictures are hung up on the wall in our house. It was so much fun to dress up and act silly.

Then last night, Jena and I went to coffee with our mentors. My mentor, Andrea and hers, Janel. It is so great to just sit and chat with women who are wives and mothers and who have been through a lot of the same stuff we did at our age. We both love our mentors and love that we can hang out with them together.

Finally, tonight we are doing our Secret Santa! I have Casey--if I knew she would read this before tonight, I wouldn't have written her name. But I am pretty confident she won't read it, especially because she is about to make me dinner ;)

And I also know that Grace has me. I am a good guesser and Grace is a bad liar. Love you Grace!

I am excited to see what everyone got for each other. Should be interesting.

Well, it will probably be a while until I write in my blog again! But if I don't write before Christmas...

Merry Christmas everyone. I pray blessing over all of you in this time, and just peace and joy during the holiday. Again, thank you all so much for keeping updated with me. I adore all of you...and until next time.

Happy Birthday MA!

Happy 29th Birthday Mom! ;)

You are looking great these days. I wish I could spend your birthday with you, but I will see you soon enough! I hope you have a wonderful day. You deserve it.

Tonight we have a cookie exchange for all the ladies on staff and for the wives of the men who are on staff hosted by the intern girls! We are also watching a Christmas movie.

All Staff Christmas Party.

A night to finally dress up and get all glammed up. So that is what we did. All day, the girls were so excited about the Christmas party, because we got to wear our dresses, and share food and watch the kids do a Christmas play.

So that is exactly what we did!

Alyse also provided great entertainment, which was hilarious! She randomly called up people on staff and had them improve as she narrated a story.

We also got our staff Christmas gift--which are awesome Mountain Wear Fleece jackets that say Crooked Creek Ranch Staff.

The kids Christmas play was adorable and they got really into it.

It was so freat to see everyone in their best dress and just see camp at night and all decorated.

Last night just made me love the people I work with, and made me realize that I need to love the people I work with in my future jobs! I sometimes can't believe these people here get paid to do what they do.

moab.

So for those of you who may not know, Moab, which is in Utah, is also known as the Mountain Biking Mecca of the World.

Sounds impressive, doesn't it? Well, it is.

Now when I heard this, I didn't think anything of it. Atleast not until, I read the sign at the beginning of the trial that said "Advanced Riding Skills Required." It's a good thing, I struggle riding through flat dirt roads.

Audrey and I were hesitant to even go on this "trip" all together. We would have to camp in the cold, and not shower for a couple of days, as well as use an outhouse.

But Thank God I went. We all had such an awesome time. We laughed, we challenged ourselves physically, we tried new things, and just learned so much about each other.

This trip was Alyse, Audrey, Raz, Andrew and I. We missed all the others though!

We started our trip after our Thanksgiving lunch. Lunch by the way was so great. There were 40 to 45 people all together at Thanksgiving, and after we stuffed our bellies, some of the women went for a walk around camp. We also got to throw around the football and hang out with the younger kids.

So around 4 was when the adventure began. Motto for the trip was "Mountain Biking Mecca of the World." Raz used that phrase to try and persuade Audrey and I when we were both hesitant of going. So we took it and ran with it. And we ran far and long with it. The boys probably wanted to kill us by the end of the trip.

So we drove to Grand Junction, Colorado and stayed the night there, and then the next morning we headed to Moab. We got to our campsite, set up camp, and got ready for the ride at Slickrock--which according to Raz is the most popular trial in Moab. None of us knew any of this, but since it all sounded so hard core--we had to be hardcore.

Well I know can say I am not really a strong biker. I think I died almost 5 times, but by the grace of God, I some how was always able to catch myself before I fell.

After a long afternoon of biking, we headed back to camp and the boys cooked some dinner us and we sat around the camp fire and played some cards. We then decided to go into town and get some ice cream at McDonalds.

After ice cream, we went back to camp and sat around the camp fire some more and had good conversation.

Finally, it was time for bed--which you would think I would be excited for after a long day of biking, but actually I was petrified of how cold I was going to be. And to no surprise, I froze!

So I was in and out of sleep all night long, and finally at around 7 a.m. Audrey and Alyse woke up, and first thing Alyse says is "Y'all let's go to Denny's!" So without hesitation we got our toothbrushes and toothpaste and headed to Denny's leaving the boys behind.

We were at Denny's for 2 hours before we headed back to camp. Denny's saved my life. It brought my body back to a normal temperature, and I was able to feel my toes again.

We got camp picked up and the cars were packed up, and we headed to Arches National Park. We got to see some impressive stuff and when you are in places like this you just feel so little, and makes you realize how BIG God really is.

There were so many beautiful arches and we went on a few hour hike. Alyse and I had some fun with Audrey's camera and we made videos of us being silly. When Alyse and I are together, there is nothing that can stop us--according to Andrew, Alyse is "nuts" and I am "weird." I have no idea where he got that idea...

After our day at Arches, we headed back to Grand Junction and stayed in a hotel because today we were going to go ride Fruita--which is another popular mountain biking destination. I think I liked Fruita better, only because I wasn't scared for my life--I was only scared I would break an arm or bust my face. That isn't as bad, right?

We rode for about an hour and 15 minutes and then headed back home with a pit stop at Target of course!

And it sure does feel good to be back home!

Happy Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving. I love this holiday--and it will be strange not being with the family. But today will be full of family--just not my own.

I love the meaning of this holiday and just being able to give thanks to the things in your life.

So here are the things I am thankful for in my life:

1. My wonderful big family.

2. My mom and her generosity and kind heart.

3. My dad and his protective spirit and affection.

4. My brother and his jokes and curiosity.

5. My Abuela Emma and her longevity and youthful spirit even at 98.

6. My Abuela Grethel for being a woman of faith and giving me a perfect example of what it is to be like Christ.

7. Zumba for providing for my family and being a father-figure to not only my dad but my brother and I. For showing me so many valuable things in life. He is the man.

8. My Aunts and Uncles for letting me be one of their own children, and loving me just the same.

9. My cousins and everything about them. They are my best friends and some of my greatest memories have been spent with them.

10. My friends for always being there for me through the good and bad times. For making me laugh and always knowing the right things to say. I have the best friends in the world.

11. The James' for letting me be a big sister to their kids and supporting me through everything. Giving me a family not only in Gainesville but here and now.

12. Young Life for giving kids and even big kids a great picture of who Christ was.

13. Mountains.

14. The Ocean and running rivers.

15. Miami for being the city that it is.

16. Being Cuban. I love it.

17. For my parents giving me the opportunities of traveling all over the world.

18. Music.

19. Photography.

20. Dancing.

21. Sports.

22. Singing.

23. Brando, my German-sheperd. Rocky, the other rat-dog we have, not so much.

24. Buchholz YL cause they are the best looking team in YL.

25. Crooked Creek Ranch.

26. The group of interns that we have-Jena, Grace, Alyse, Audrey, Casey, Reid, Raz, Steebo, and Andrew. They are all so special to me.

27. The ability to go out and run and be active.

28. Books.

29. I can't forget about being thankful that I am part of the Gator Nation. Best school in the U.S. of A. No doubt about it.

30. Laughter and silliness.

31. Skiing.

32. Butterflies and Horses.

33. Movies that make you laugh and movies that make you think and movies that make you cry.

34. Culture and diversity.

35. Holidays--a time to spend with family.

36. Cooking-especially for others.

37. For those who have and are supporting me while out here.

38. Good conversations.

39. Love stories.

40. A lot of things in my life.

I love you all. Thank you again for reading my blogs and wanting to stay posted on my life out here.

Happy Thanksgiving.