and they keep on growing

Gees Luis!  Our home seems to go round and round with sickness these days.  When we finally think we are all clear of germs, one more gets sick.  Sigh!  I can't wait till regular spring days are here and colds are gone gone gone!  

Now enough with the ranting.  

Aside from us being sick, we also celebrated a birthday this weekend.  My chiquito turned 6. Six!  He is growing up fast.

Like every year on his birthday we celebrated small with a cake and family.  The big party won't be until the summer, when I combine both his and his sister's celebrations.  Our theme:  Pirates and mermaids!  They are looking forward to it, and so am I.  Which reminds me I never posted about last years Western themed party.  (Must do!)  Anyway, back to this weekend celebration, shall we.

Yes, so he is officially six.  My little guy.  He asked for a Transformers chocolate cake.  Nothing fancy.  

To begin with, for his class I made chocolate cupcakes, covered in chocolate frosting.  (Have you ever made the Hershey's chocolate frosting?  It is yummy! And one of our favorites.  Super easy to make.  Just follow the recipe on the back of the Hershey cocoa container.) Then I topped them with little stickers of transformers.  

Neither of my printers have been working correctly lately, so what I did to make the cake toppers (and to keep it as uncomplicated as possible) was buy small rectangular Transformer stickers.  I then cut out small rectangles (slightly bigger than the stickers) out of card stock and then stuck a toothpick between the sticker and card stock.  Finally we wrote his initial to the back of each topper.  

Nice and simple. Just the way I like it.

I made the cake the same way, but instead of using the toppers I made for the cupcakes, I bought small Transformer figures to decorate.  Again, nice and simple.

He was happy, I was happy, we were all happy.  And at the end, that is all that matters.

Happy Birthday to the most adoring, caring, and creative six year old I know! I love you so very much.

Photo courtesy of Aunt Nelly

 

 Hasta el infinito y mas!!!

              (aka Mami)

one person

A little glimpse of our Valentine's Day.  

It was a nice day indeed,  a bit busy with me working in the morning, then co-hosting  my nene's classroom Valentine's day party later in the day,  piano lessons in the afternoon and finally a trip to the local yogurt place- a fun treat for the little ones and grownups too. (Yes it was cold.) We had fun and the kids loved the out-of-the-ordinary surprise. 

I packed the Valentine treat in my nene's lunchbox as I had mentioned before, and he was surprised!  How I wish I could have seen his expression.  I did however, get to see my spunky nena's when she found hers.  Do you see that beautiful excited smile?  Love it. 

I also tried my first (last minute) attempt on making heart shaped boiled eggs for lunch.  Something I had seen on Pinterest.   I failed miserably.  They were good none the less.

And then yesterday I woke up with the worst back/neck pain ever!  I'm still in pain.  I don't know what caused it, but it hurts like (well you know.)  It was hard to drive.  I did anyway, because I needed to go test some H.S. students.

While I was testing, I saw a magnet on a cabinet. It said:

The picture is blurry because it was hard for me to keep my painful arm still.  (I wasn't sure if I would go back into that particular office, so I really wanted to take the photo before I forgot what it said.)

It says:

to the world

you may be one person, 

but to one person

you may be the world.

(unknown)

Beautiful. 

I know that their are a lot persons that mean the world to me, especially my hubby and kids.  There are many that have left a mark in my life, as small or big as it may have been, they are part of my world and I cherish them so very much.   It is nice to think that I may be that one person to some.

On another note, I am a super excited and nervous on an upcoming interview I'll be making. I'll be interviewing psychologist Isabel Gomez.  Live! Yes live! Via Skype!  (Ahhhh!)

She is well known in the Spanish speaking Latino community.  She has her own talk radio and is often regarded as "el angel de la radio" (the angel of the radio.)  Her main focus it to help families with different issues.  She's also a great supporter of bilingual education. 

I can't wait!  I hope that by then I am feeling much much better, and that I don't make a fool of myself.  Ha! 

I'll keep you posted as the date nears. As for now I am logging off, my arm is beginning to hurt more.

Have  a nice day!

birthday girl, I was

So this weekend was my B-day.  I'm getting old.  But, I don't feel old.  I still feel like I'm in my early 20's, yet I am much, much closer to the 40's.  I guess it's true what they say- your as young as you feel.  I truly want to believe it.  So let me dream on!

I'm sure you are dying to know what I got as gifts, right?  (yea, right!)

Well, let me share with you anyway.

First off there is no party, without...

PARTY HATS!

and CARDS!

Now for those big item gifts...

a brand new BED!

a fully loaded CELL PHONE!

the most lovely BOUQUET OF FLOWERS!

a brand new fancy CAR! and lots of lots of LOVE!

Ahem, I think some little ones have been listening and paying close attention to my conversations about needing a new bed and wanting a new iPhone.  Now what about the car?  No idea.  Maybe my little guy thought it would be pretty cool to drive something else rather than a mini-van.  Ha!

I loved my gifts.  This is the first time my little guy takes the time to make such beautiful gifts for me. (Spunky nena tried, but it was a bit difficult without mami's help.  She did pick a lot of those lovely flowers/weeds/leaves you see.) They are truly special gifts.  The best! 

Note: All photos, with the exception of the last one, were taken my my little guy.  Not bad, huh?


Now, just in case you are wondering here are some photos of how we ended up decorating our Thanksgiving table this year.  

We celebrated Thanksgiving with my in laws.  So the table decorating was a team work.  I just added the finishing touches.  The  napkin rings/place cards and the Gratitude tree (I used the same idea as our valentine heart tree.) 

The kids helped me make them.  It was pretty easy, I just drew one leaf and then used that as a stencil to draw the rest.  We then colored the edge of each leaf and I then colored the veins.  Finally for the napkin rings/place cards I added each person's name with a bronze marker (mi name didn't fit- too long!)  For the Gratitude tree, we got a branch from our the back yard, and hung the leaves.  Before that though, each guest would write something they were grateful for this year. 

Simple, yet meaningful.  Just like our dinner.



Well then, now I am off to rest on my brand new bed, but not before I make a phone call on my fully loaded new phone and admire my beautiful bouquet.

Here is to a great week everyone!

green ♥ verde

Last week was a week... 

♥ filled with green food (or at least our version of it. Ha.), green clothing, friends and nature.  I wonder why?

♥ with fun filled days at the park.

♥ perfect for Nature walks to the marsh, with friends every step of the way.

♥ of Birthday Celebrations.  Yes, many many birthdays, including my not so little guy. He is now FIVE!  

La sememana pasada fue una semana...

♥ llena de comida de color verde (o por lo menos nuestra version.  Jeje), ropa de color verde, amigos y naturalesa.

♥ dias llenos de diversion en el parque.

♥ perfecta para ir a caminar por el bosque y sobre el puente del pantano, acompañados por amigos.

♥ de muchas pero muchas celebraciones de cumpleaños, incluyendo a mi ya no tan pequeño nene.  ¡Cumplió CINCO!

Then ♥ Antes

and now ♥ y ahora:

Happy 5th Birthday mi nene!!!  I ♥ you.

Tres Reyes Magos (Three Wise Men)

Photo taken by Ms Rakell, edited by me.

This past January 6th was the second year we celebrated the coming of the Tres Reyes Magos (Three Wise Men)  in this home of ours (see here for last year.)  Traditionally on this day in Mexico and many parts of Latin America, families gather to celebrate the arrival of the Tres Reyes Magos to see baby Jesus and bring him gifts.  They also leave gifts for all the good boys and girls.   Then families gather to eat good food, open gifts and end the celebration eaiting a Rosca (a rosca is a bread very similar to that of the King's bread eaten here during Martigra.)  

Este 6 de Enero pasado celebramos por segunda vez en nuestra casita el dia de los Tres Reyes Magos (ver aca el año pasado).  En Mexico, al igual que muchos paises de Latina America, celebran la llegada de los Tres Reyes quines le traen regalos al niñito Jesus a los 12 dias de nacido. Tambien les dejan regalos a todos los niños que se han portado bien duranto el año.  Luego las familias se juntan a comer platillos deliciosos, y a abrir los regalos que les dejaron los Reyes y por ultimo terminan la noche comiendo una rica Rosca. 


We did without the gifts and focused instead on the meaning of the Tres Reyes Magos celebration.  We did this by inviting friends young and old and introduced them to our tradition.  We ate great food.  Read to the little ones two stories about the Three Wise Men.   (One of the books we read was What Star Is This? by Joseph Slate.  A story about how the Star came to be and who followed it. I really recommend it.)   Then,  we ended our evening by cutting the rosca and drinking some yummy and very warm hot chocolate abuelita. 

Nosotros también celebramos pero nuestro enfoque fue en el significado de la tradición y no en los regalos.  Invitamos a amigos grandes y chicos para introducirlos a nuestra tradición (parece ser que somos los únicos por estos rumbos que celebramos tal día).  Celebramos comiendo comida deliciosa y típica de México.  Y le leímos a los niños dos historias de los Reyes.  (Uno de los libros que leímos es What Star Is This? por Joseph Slate. Cual cuenta de como crece una estrellita, la cual después guía a los Reyes a su destino.) Después terminamos la noche comiendo rosca y tomando un chocolatito abuelita super calientito.  
 
A wonderful gathering indeed.

Definitivamente una noche agradable.

Do you celebrate the day of the Tres Reyes Magos?  If so, how do you celebrate? I would love to hear about it. 

¿Que tal tu, celebras el dia De los Reyes Magos? Me encantaría me contaras como lo celebras.  



 

a year wiser :: una año mas sabia

So my birthday was this past weekend and I got to celebrate the best way I know...eating some delicious food (dessert, ahem!).  

El fin de semana pasado cumplí años y me toco celebrar de la manera que mas me gusta...comiendo comida (postre, jeje) deliciosa.

(Yes, my kids are always dressing up! :: Si, mis nenes siempre andan disfrazándose.)

My lovely Sister-In-Law made me my favorite ever-  cheesecake with raspberry topping.  Yum!

Mi linda cuñada me preparo un pastel de queso con topping de frambuesa riquísimo!

 

Then earlier this week some of my friends and I headed out to celebrate at my favorite local Italian Restaurant.  Oh-so-good!  And after that we stopped by a great Cuban restaurant for me to enjoy more yummy cheesecake.  This time- guava cheesecake.  Does that sound delicious or what?

Y esta semana salí a celebrar con unas amigas a mi restaurante Italiano favorito.  ¡Que ricura!  Y después de ahí pasamos a un restaurante Cubano para comer de su riquísimo pastel de queso con guayaba.  ¡Para chuparse los dedos, eh!

Now I need to get my self to the gym.  And a one, and a two...

Ahora necesito ir al gimnasio.  Y uno, y dos....

 

She is three :: Ella tiene tres

Time does not stop.  Not one minute. Not one second.  It glides past you when you aren't looking and the next thing you know your baby is three years old.  Yes, my baby.  She turned three.  And so what do you do when this happens, when your little chubby cheeked baby girl is no longer a baby girl, but this fun loving, energetic three year old (going on thirteen) little girl?  Do you sit and cry the years past by?  Do you cheer?  Do you lament the moments stolen by chores, work, and the mundane?  Or do you stop and celebrate with joy?  Ah, that's it- you CELEBRATE!

El tiempo no para.  Ni un minuto.  Ni un segundo.  Pasa sin que te des cuenta, y cuando menos lo esperas tu bebe esta cumpliendo tres añitos.  Si, mi bebe!  Cumplió tres.  Y pues ¿que hacer cuando tu beba de cachetes redondos ya no es una bebe, si no una divertida y energética niña de tres años (pero actúa como de 13)?  ¿Te sientas y te pones a llorar por los años que han pasado? ¿Echas porras? ¿Te pones a lamentar los momentos robados, por queaseres, trabajo y las cosas de a diario?  ¿O paras y celebras con alegría?  Claro que si- CELEBRAS!

And so we did.  Just family, a Strawberry-Shortcake-themed-chocolate-frosting-chocolate-cake (a request by the birthday girl), a few gifts and a rainbow tutu and headband made by mami (another request).  Small, simple, perfect for my beautiful three year old. 

Y eso es precisamente lo que hicimos.  Solo familia, un pastel de chocolate-con betún de chocolate- y decorado con las muñequitas de fresa "Strawberry Shortcake" (lo que pidió la cumpleañera), unos cuantos regalos y una colorida falda de bailarina con todo y su deadema que mami le hizo (ella también lo pidió). Pequeño, simple y perfecto para mi hermosa cumpleañera de tres añitos.  

Time sure flies.

Que rápido pasa el tiempo.

*You can click here if you would like to see how we celebrated in big, both A's and Ri's combined birthdays this summer.*
*Si quieres ver como celebramos en grande juntos su cumple y el de su hermano  este verano, has click aqui.*