So I don't talk everyone else's head's off.

I must brag about my littlest one, but I imagine it might get annoying to the people around my so here's to you blog.

Gabe can say so much now.

Lots of english since he started school in August but even more lately;

dog

cat

socks

book (which as of now he loves more than cars)

car

truck

crocs

again

music

pumpkin (this was very cute and right at halloween time)

go (he tells me this a lot, especially at red lights)

In spanish;

agua

mas

otra

cup for cuchara (spoon)

Last month he would try dailyto put the door stop down and even kick it to stick

was putting things into cups, later learned they worked on this at school, its a milstone skill.

Will not take off gloves once they are on, even when he's eating.

He's dying to ride a bike, a BIG one.

He likes the spanish vowel song and sings along to it and says the vowel too.

Participates in the game "yellow car with Luna"

At Sams on tuesday I picked out some pajamas for him and handed them too him and he tried to take off his shirt and whinned because he couldn't put them on right then and there

Honey, have you seen my keys?

Thursday morning was a very important day for me. I was teaching a regular Jazzercise class at 9:30 am. I was off work for Veterans day and I was to be evaluated by a monitor appointed by Jazzercise Corp. It's a pretty detailed process in which everything I say and do during class is scrutinized. I was prepared and had everything together. My ipod, a backup CD just in case, my routine set printed out complete with the time of each song and rountine. EVEYTHING was ready. I am 10 minutes ahead of schedule when I begin to leave the house. Only one problem. Where are my keys?
I look on the key hook that I recently installed so that I wouldn't have to search all of Ignacio's pants when I need his keys. But mine where not there, no biggy. That's normal. I check my coat pocket. Not there. That's typical too. The other place I usually put them is the table near the front door leading into the main room. But they're not there either. I am a little frustrated now, but still there's another place they sometimes are. My pocket of yesterday's pants. I checked them and they weren't there either. Now it's getting late. I need to be there 20 minutes early. That is a standard rule. I don't want to get points takend off right of the bat because of that. So I swallow my pride and do not let my dermination to find those %^#@%& keys cause me to be late. Off to the neighbors I go to beg for a ride. They don't answer their door, so I try the other neighbor. Usually he's available but this one day he has some important state worker coming to his house in 30 minutes. He suggests I call the previous neighbor who didn't answer their door. Thank God the answer their phone and because they are AWESOME, they drive me. I am forever indebted to them. I make it to Jazzercise at 9:20. The class was "great" and "fantastic" she said. Thanks to God I did well.
The rest of the day wasn't too bad with only one car, because my husband was off work. Even though I continued to search my entire house I still couldnt' find them.
The next morning was rough with only one car because I had to work, my husband had to get to work and the kids had to get to school. Ignacio was NOT a happy camper as he left with the kids.
After he left I went to look for my keys in the backyard because I remember picking up the kids toys late Wed afternoon and low and behold, there were my precious keys in the ............ COMPOST PILE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Luna's 5!

My little girl is growing so fast. A few days before her birthday she said that when she turns 5 she will lose a tooth and talk funny and that she will have a bone in her arm (as she pointed to her bicep) She also wanted to learn to tie her shoes before her birthday.

Here is the bat pinata that she requested for her birthday. It's homemade, in case you can't tell.

Luna is in Junior Kindergarden and goes to school in the AM. We like the schedule. She is learning sight words and all other great things. Her least favorite part of school is circle time b/c you just sit there and do nothing (not true) and her favorite is playing in the centers. She continues to be a great big sister. Their favorite game is still playing chase in the house, running around the couch and through the kitchen. Luna's favorite activities are playing dolls and pretend. We usually play with dolls or barbies and pretend their is a birthday and also that candy is healthy and one of the dolls usually has a baby and then the baby grows up. Oh and we also pretend (at Luna's request) that they dolls don't know spanish.

Luna is very good a drawing, she also continues to love catepillares, TV, cotton candy, baking cakes, and having stories read to her.

And the bat cake!

Luna asked me if I wanted to play with her and I said I have to clean the kitchen. She said you have 2 choices clean the kitchen or play with me, what do you choose. I said clean the kitchen. She said Ok, that' your choice.

What are the best elementry schools in Louisville?

Well in Louisville we don't have neighborhood schools. In Cincinnati where I grew up you simply went to the school closest to your house and you took the school bus, unless you were always turned around in your seat, up on your knees talking to the kids behind you, then you got kicked off the bus and your parents had to drive you. Obviously that never happened to me:)
So in Cincinnati, if you didn't like the school near you or you wanted to send your child to a better performing school you could either drive them to a private school or move to a different school district.
Anyways here in Louisville they want to create diverse schools by mixing up the students, therefore you can't just go to the school nearest to your house and your child might have to have a very long bus ride to a school across town. Basically you are asigned a cluster and within that cluster you get to chose 4 schools. A lot of people don't get their 1st or 2nd choice, sometimes they get their 3rd or 4th choice, but it might be very far from their house and not a school they wanted at all. Moving within the county doesn't guarentee you anything except a different cluster, so I that is not an option. In short it's kind of like luck of the draw here in Louisville.

My daughter is 5 and must go to kindergarden next year. We are hoping she can get a good education at a public school. I hear the Oldham County Public Schools are good but I would have to move to Oldham county and I don't want to move)

I visited Middletown and St, Matthews and I like them both. I hope Luna gets into one of them If she doesn't we will send her to Ascention, a Catholic elementary school near our house) but my husband is cringing at the idea of paying out so much money for pirvate education.

Do you like the Jefferstown Public School system? Is Oldam county really that good?

A surprise friendship

Ignacio, Luna, Me, Gabriel, and Myriam (Ignacio's mother)

Myriam and Ignacio's niece spent 7 weeks with us the summer and it was a wonderful time. I got to know these two wonderful people in a way that I never did before. I am so happy I had the opportunity to get to know them because they are really such wonderful women. I am so glad that I was able to put aside my issues, pride and ego and let them into my lives. I gave up trying to control the home, dinners, cleaning, order, childrens schedule and basically how things were done and that gave me the opportunity to enjoy my quests. I learned so much for her and she fell in love with my little boy,so much that she cried when she left. Oh, how wonderful to have someone love your children that much.

Thank you Jazmine and Myriam for being part of my life and my family. I hope we get to spend many more summers together.

Luna's Four!

Happy Birthday Luna!

Everytime we go to the grocery store we have to look at the birthday cakes on display in the bakery. There is a Tinklebell cake, Diego, Noah's Ark, princess castle, and more. Luna has been looking at them for about a year. So, for her birthday I asked her which one she wanted. Here she is with her barbie birthday cake. She was so excited and I am so grateful that I could give her it.
Aside from a cake, and small party she received at Cinderella doll from her parents, and lots of other lovely gifts from friends an family. She is so excited to be 4, but she keeps asking me what comes after 4 and is already telling me what she wants for her next birthday.

What 4 year olds can do (really what Luna does):
-Play dolls for hours
-Asks me to play with her
-Recall events from when they were three.
-Stick there tongue out at their baby brother when they think mom is not looking.
-Write their name, cut glue, dress, brush teeth and cleanup when they want to.