For my nieces..

Many of you will be in high school soon, I though of you as I read this article written by my favorite radio talk show host and I wanted to share it.





On Hell, by Brant Hansen

Finding the "one"

Sometime in 2001 I had a conversation with my youngest sister, Jessi, about boys and relationship and finding the "one". She said to me, "have you ever written down on paper what you want in a guy?" Her question intriged me and I thought it would be interesting to do. So I wrote;
intelligent (bachelors degree)
good dancer
good sense of humor
sensitive
motivated
likes to travel
career driven
honest
Catholic

I stuck the paper in my pocket and didn't think about it again until almost 2 years later when I was engaged to Ignacio. The note just popped in my head and I thought about Ignacio's qualities and it was so similar it was more than wierd. It was like fate or something. I remember having it to look at and compare and it was really amazing. Oh how I wish I still had that paper but I don't..must of lost it or something..in fact the list above is the best I could get from my memory.

But it doesn't matter I have something better, the real thing, everynight in my bed.
My media naranja.........

Happy Mothers Day

To my Grandma who cared for me and loved me, when my own mother didn't.... I love you forever. I pray God blesses you for how you saved me... What would have become of me without you?

Jessi, my little sis (another big blessing in my life, she is always there for me) , and Grandma at Denny and Debbi's house. My angels.

30 years old

I just got back from a 24hour trip to cincinnati. Ignacio and I packed up the kids to head to cincinnati on Saturday afternoon right after a hail storm. We went to celebrate my little sister, Jessi''s 30th birthday.

Let me tell you about this amazing sister. She is so together and kind and generous. She is like the mother. She is probably the most responsible and rational of the four of us. Personally she has been a great friend to me. We talk several times a week and I often call her with my problems. We also have a ton in common, so that's great to keep us close.

First we went to a comedy club, thanks to my wondeful niece who volunteered to babysit all of the kids. She is amazing, only 13 and she can handle all that responsibility (5 kids 5 and under!) Can't wait till I get her for an entire month! We have plans for her to stay with us for the month of July and we are going to speak only spanish in the house, do like an immersion experience for her. Maybe throw in Colombian food too. After the comedy club we acted crazy at a bar, then headed home. We couldn't stay out too late Jessi has a nursing baby afterall.

This is a picture of Me, Jessi and Tori. I really enjoyed being with everyone that was present. Tori is a really neat person and it was great to see her after such a long time. You see Tori grew up across the street from Jessi and I. Her mom, a wonderful person, took us under her wing and was like a mom to us, even taking Jessi and I on vacation with her family. Seeing this picture reminds me of our trips to Michigan. I am grateful for such an amazing sister. I love her to death and I thank my God for her. I am also grateful for Tori and her family's presence in my life. Good people.

The following day, Sunday, Jessi hosted a grill out to continue the celebration of her birthday. Another great day with good people. My cousin Denny came with his beautiful wife and FIVE children. I was so amazed at how sweet and kind and including her children were with my children. Their 2 boys and my other cousin's son Noah, played so much with Gabe. In fact he was like the center of attention. He would touch them and then they would act like he pushed them really hard and they would fall down and they all cracked up. Once while playing Gabe fell and they were so quick to help him up. 6pm rolled around and Ignacio said it was time to go, I was sad to leave. How lucky I am to have so much family and how so truly blessed I am to know so many great people and to be able to call them my friends and family.

A good day

It's a good morning when I can change the diaper of a crying, screaming, kicking, toddler without losing my temper or hurting my back. Actually the struggle begins with just taking off his clothes. He begins to cry when I try to take off his pijamas. He physically holds to his buttons and zippers and sleeves and it's really hard to pry him off so I can undress him.

This morning gabriel was not only doing all of the above but he also pulls the new diaper off that I am trying to put on or he puts his hands down to block me from attaching the sides. I then quickly snap his onsie on at the bottom before he pulls off the diaper. Well today during the entire process I just keep saying I can do it I can do it, kinda of in a way like it was a game or something. You see Luna is there and she observes everything, so I am glad I showed her a positive way to deal with a difficult situation. In the end I said, "Yeah mommy did it"

Tips for traveling with a 2 year old

DON'T DO IT






Just kidding:) I do not regret our 30 day trip to Colombia with my 22 month old and 5 year old. Although there were several times I said I would never do it again and twice I almost bought an early plane ticket home. Let me highlight a few happenings;
-Gabriel threw up all over my husband, Ignacio, on the plane ride to Miami.
-He threw a temper tantrum on the flight to Colombia, in which his shoe fell off and he threw it and it hit a sleeping man in the head.
-Knocked over the christmas tree in one house where we stayed
-knocked over a huge flower vase filled with water at another house where we stayed.
-Countless fits and crying spells
-In short in was a lot of work, but he's 2 and we both had prepared ourselves for this and I think that's how we were able to make it through the trip without being miserable.

Now the amazing and enjoyable things about this trip are too many to list, by I name a few;
-Luna and Gabe spoke and practiced a ton of spanish.
-Luna expercienced another culture and will remember this tip.
-spent time with some wonderful friends and families (I charish these relationships)
-Saw some really beautiful sites and country side.
-Ignacio and I grew up a lot, learned a lot about ourselves, life, other people etc. In short the trip was character building. (as cheezy as it sounds)
-realized how freaking nice we have it and how spoiled and childish we are.
-Were given priceless parenting advice. Our good friend pointed out something we were doing, that if continued could effect our gabriel in a very negtive way. I am SO grateful for this, in fact it is worth the entire trip.

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