one post at a time

hi. long time no post. i know. i'm sorry. so much has happened in our lives. time started flying by at an alarmingly scary rate, and before i knew it, my blog sat over a month with no love and i had no idea where to start. so, i'm back and i'll just take it one post at a time and update you little by little. let's start with Isaac...

Our little man turned 2 on December 18th...which happened to also be the day we moved into our new home (save this for another post.) My sister graciously allowed us to celebrate at their house with family and friends that evening after a long day's work. Because Isaac LOVES any type of vehicle...especially emergency vehicles with lights and sirens...we had a firetruck party. The week leading up to his special day, he would inform me every day, "Mommy, I want chocolate cake, orange candles, balloons, and presents at my bir-day party." So, we did not disappoint! Though, after opening 2 presents from the mountainous pile, he declared, "I'm done with presents." Alrighty. His cousins gladly stepped in to open the rest.

Since the move, Isaac has started a new school. He now attends Angel Montessori and is doing really well. Let me share a little more about where he's at right now in life...

He talks and talks and talks...complete sentences that leave me amazed and laughing. He is very polite. We are working on "May I.......please?" He also has some funny exclamations that are so cute like..."Oh no goodness!" or "That's wonderful!"

We were worried for a while, but he has actually turned out to be a good eater. The other night, he ate 2 portions of broccoli and refused to eat anything else. I found myself getting frustrated that he wasn't touching the chicken. Seriously. I need to calm down! Now, does he eat veggies everyday? Nope. Yesterday he tried one bite of zucchini and gagged. At least he tried it. He loves granola and yogurt for breakfast...but pancakes and donuts are his favorites! (mine too!) Pizza and quesadillas rank really high for lunch or dinner. However last night when asked what he wanted for dinner, he told Keith and I, "Marshmallows, cinnamon, and vitamin." Mmmm, nutritious!

He loves to play cars and blocks and puzzles and baby. He was gifted a baby and stroller for Christmas from his cousins...much to Keith's dismay. Yet, that baby is walked everyday and fed cereal. Grandma and Grandad gave him a play kitchen, which he proudly calls his "chicken". He can whip up some mean soup or a pizza sandwich. Just stop on by!

His favorite movie is Lady and the Tramp. His favorite books are Curious George. He loves to play outside, swing, slide, and feed ducks. Our new house is walking distance from all these things. Such a blessing.

Well...this is plenty for now. I'm feeling back in the game. Here's a few more pics of Isaac over the past month. Christmas morning he was thrilled to find he'd been given his "very own" suitcase that he can't wait to pack for overnight trips. Please notice Poochie patiently waiting to be fed in the highchair. :) The wedding dress is Amelia's "marrying dress" that Isaac insisted on try on. I will save that pic for his rehearsal dinner! The bouncy horse, who is of course named Prince, was my cousin's when she was a little girl. Her son outgrew it and passed it on to Isaac to keep it in the family. Hugs to all!

'tis the season

If you know me at all...you know I love the Christmas season. I usually have Harry Connick Jr Christmas albums blasting by November 1st and the tree and decorations up by the day after Thanksgiving. This year has been a bit of a challenge for me...borderline depressing. All my Christmas music cds are boxed up in storage, along with our tree, decorations, Christmas story books, lights, etc. Last weekend, I finally got in there, dug out our first tree (a 3 footer), and then went to Walgreen's to buy some trimmings. I then bought 2 new Christmas albums, Barbara Streisand (don't make fun!) and Shane and Shane (it's awesome!). Keith has been very understanding through it all, even enduring Barbara.

We have been trying to at least do lots of fun, "Christmas-y" things. So, without further ado, here's some highlights...

Lauren and I joined forces to make homemade baklava. Lauren did most of the ingredient prep work (like clarifying all the butter...hello!). I was mainly called in for assembly. It takes about 30-40 minutes just to finish one pan people! We made 5 pans! Delicate work...a definite 2-person job. Well worth it in the end. Crunchy, buttery, deliciousness in your mouth dripping with honey syrup. Mmmm.


The whole family attended ICE at the Gaylord Texan where we saw Peanuts characters carved completely from ice depicting A Charlie Brown Christmas. It was actually truly amazing...and freezing!!! They have to keep the display at 9 degrees below freezing. Everyone therefore must don a gorgeous blue thermal trench coat before entering, over your regular coat. Isaac fared well, only complaining of being cold toward the end, after he went down the ice slides twice. The last room was a breathtaking depiction of the Nativity. Isaac was thrilled to see all the animals. Afterward, we used hot chocolate and warm cookies to help us thaw.







We tried to visit Santa, but Isaac was only up for a stroll by and a wave. He played it cool though, no tears. Santa did give Isaac a Christmas treat (the traditional miniature candy cane in small plastic wrap that all photo Santas give out.) Ike had never tasted a candy cane and exclaimed with pure joy, "Mmmm, yummy Kismas treat!" after every lick and bite whilst riding in the horse drawn carriage. The first horse Isaac met, a few months ago, was a white horse named Prince. Now, whenever he sees a horse, whether live, statue, or in a picture, he calls it by name...Prince!





Isaac's first school Christmas program was tonight. We arrived early so he and his classmates could put their costumes on. Before I go on...let me say to Isaac's defense, he is the youngest little lovie in this school. They made an exception, allowing him to enroll even though he had not turned 2 by September 1st. (he actually turns 2 this Saturday. if you ask him how old he is, he will reply "two-cember"...since every time anyone asks Keith and I how old he is, he always hears us reply, "he'll be 2 in December".) Several kiddos were already losing it when we got there, but Ike held strong. He was excited about his costume and really liked the hat. However, when the doors swung open and his class led out the procession, he was NOT okay. From that point on he was a bucket of snot and tears, culminating on stage where he clutched Poochie (his stuffed dog) and cried during their entire rendition of "El Burrito Sabanero", a very adorable little Spanish Christmas carol. (click on the title to hear the song) We are proud that he at least stayed on stage the whole time. At one point, the director of the school actually came on stage during the song with a Kleenex to wipe away his snot and tears. Lovely.



Once all was said and done, and our traumatized child was escorted off stage, we stripped off his costume, gave him lots of hugs and kisses, and then took him out for ice cream. He recovered quickly. No permanent damage done. I will have to apologize to his teachers tomorrow and personally thank la directora. I think they'll understand.



He was happy, we were happy. 'Tis the season to be JOLLY!

thankful

We shared a blessed Thanksgiving holiday with family. It was nice to be home. Lauren and I stayed the night at Mom and Dad's to help with all the preparations both that evening and early Thursday morning. We stuffed a 22 lb. bird just like Grandma did for years and years. Many of the old menu traditions were kept, but a few new ones made the cut this year...like carrot souffle and sauteed brussel sprouts. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was of course on in the background while we cooked and the kids played. Here are a few highlights from our Thanksgiving Day.

In the kitchen...Mom, Lauren, and I (au natural) filling in more stuffing around the outside of the partially baked bird. All those important turkey juices infuse the stuffing and it comes out moist and delicious every time!



Isaac decided to join in on the fun and was really excited about wearing his very own apron. He loves to help me cook and practices his flipping skills all the time. And just look at that turkey!!



Waiting to eat...Isaac enjoyed watching the parade, especially Kermit the Frog. When the parade was over, it was outside for bubbles...which only lasted a short time since it was freezing cold!!





Camp Keith...Inevitably, every time we gather with extended family, all of the cousins end up outside playing with Uncle Keith. He is incredible with kids...inventing games to expend their energy and making sure everyone is included. He has rightfully earned the title "Camp Keith". Even the other day when we got together for a brunch with our small group from church, we were all visiting and I looked up to see Keith sitting at the kid's table surrounded by 8 or nine little ones. Not too long after, he was outside corralling in the backyard. I fear he gets taken for granted...it is a thankless job. I know the kids love it and family and friends appreciate it greatly. Here's a shout out to you Babe! Let's hear it for Camp Keith!





I truly hope you have a wonderful holiday. We are thankful for you!

investments

Rather big or small, the decision to make a new investment can be exhilarating and nerve-wrecking at the same time. As with any investment, there is always the moment of reckoning..."yes? no? is this going to be worth it?" Yet, if the investment turns out to provide good return, it can be life-changing for the whole family. Allow me to share some of our recent investments, big and small, that have so far proved to be very beneficial to our little family.

Investment #1 - a donut pan.

Whilst shopping with my mom we spied this wonderful pan by Wilton. Knowing my child's insane and passionate obsession for donuts (eh hem. wonder who he gets that from?) Mom and I decided to each purchase a pan to try out. Well, I will let the picture tell you that this was a worth-while investment that has converted at least some donut mornings into a slightly healthier experience. (we still can't resist the occasional trip to the donut shop where Isaac proudly points through the glass to the pink frosted, fried donut with sprinkles exclaiming, "MINE!"...as mommy points to the fried, glazed apple fritter saying, "we'll have 2 please.") So far I've made plain cake, chocolate glazed, and pumpkin spice donuts. The world's your oyster with this one! Next up...blueberry!





Investment #3 - Spanish Schoolhouse.

I've shared before about Isaac's little Spanish immersion school. Our experience there over the past few months has been such a blessing. Ike only attends 2 days a week and he is already learning so much. In the mornings, when we pile into the truck, he immediately asks..."Mommy, a la escuela?" He knows colors, can count to 15 (except he always leaves out "trece"...it's an unlucky number anyway) says "por favor" and "gracias" as well as all kinds of greetings and leave-takings. The other day he pointed to a big 18 wheeler and said, "gande!" (grande). Plus, I can tell he understands so much more when I speak to him or ask him to do certain things in Spanish. Last week, his class had a Thanksgiving feast and the kids were permitted to not dress in uniform. He looked like such a little man in his sweater vest. When I picked him up, he proudly displayed a painted paper plate with a face drawn on it and feathers glued on top. I asked him, "que es esto?" and he replied, "un indio!" (an indian). Wow. Spanish Schoolhouse was a fabulous investment and it has motivated Keith and I to speak to him more in Spanish too. Ole! The terribly unfortunate thing is...we will have to pull him out of the school at the end of December since we are moving due to the fact that we are about to make the biggest investment either of us have ever made in our lives...

Investment #4 - a HOUSE!!

After months of searching, we finally found a house we want to call home. I will post more formal details soon so I don't jinx anything. Basically, the contract has been agreed upon and signed and we are just awaiting loan approval. So, if all goes well, we will close on December 8th and move in shortly thereafter. Here's a glimpse...



So...now we only have a few more investments to make...refrigerator, clothes washer & dryer, oven, vacuum cleaner...oh MY! It's slightly overwhelming...lie...it's TOTALLY overwhelming!!!

Happy investing to you! May your decisions always have good return.

trunk-or-treat

Halloween weekend started with inviting Grandma and Grandad over for pizza and pumpkin carving. It was a team effort with great results! We mulled cider and roasted the pumpkin seeds ("eeeuuuuwww, slimy!" was all isaac kept saying as we were digging out the seeds). We topped it off by watching It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. It doesn't get much better than that!



Then on Sunday evening, we joined our friends Ruthie, Josh, and sweetie Corrinne for costumes and trunk-or-treating at church. If you read the last post, you will know Costume Round 1 wasn't very successful. I am pleased to report that Round 2 was a total hit! I think Isaac was trying to impress Corrinne. She was a DOLL! (well, a doll in a gnome costume) We walked to church from their house and had a grand ole' time. Then, once Isaac was safely in bed with visions of candy bars dancing in his head, Keith and I proceeded to pilfer through his candy profits, pick out all the good stuff, and toss the rest. Oh yeah!




Hope y'all had a great time too!

workin'

To bring you up to speed...drum roll please...Keith started work this week!!! This monumental event means several good and wonderful things for our little family. First, we are no longer classified as a "no-income" family. We've got some green rollin' in once again. Can I hear an "amen"? AMEN!! Phew! Also, with a job comes medical benefits which means come December 1st, we can ditch our temporary, rob you BLIND, way too expensive insurance plan. That deserves another "amen", AMEN! And, perhaps most importantly, Keith and I will not be spending so much time together anymore thus promising us a continued happy marriage...bringing truth to the phrase, "absence makes the heart grow fonder." Now, you must understand, we have greatly enjoyed this time together and realize we probably will not have as much time together again until our nest is empty and we are retired. Yet, we were able to verbally admit that we were annoying each other (very healthy) and needed to spend some time apart. Of course we are 100% committed to spending the rest of our lives together...but we also realize our wedding vows did not say, "All day every day until death do us part." Can I get another "amen"? AMEN!

While Keith has been working, I've been trying to figure out how to be a stay at home mom. I still plan on finding a job, but ideally, we'd like to get settled in a house first. So far, my efforts are so so. If I were on a grading scale, I'd give myself about a 81 for now. I have a lot to learn still. Ike's been sick with some kind of stomach bug this week (which has now infected the entire family except Keith and Lolo.) But, he was fever free and fine to go back to school on Wednesday, or so I thought. I was supposed to take him to school in costume. He was going to be Cat in the Hat. Adorable, right? Well, with 20 minutes left until departure, he's adamantly refusing to wear the costume. Never fear, like any good mom, I had a Plan B. I pulled out his cowboy hat, boots, jeans, and button down shirt...uh, negative. He's refusing to wear the boots and hat which makes the jeans and button-down look like any other day's outfit. So, I surrender when he starts saying, "sketon! sketon!", referring to his skeleton pj's. Fine, I will take you to school in your pj's! Minus 5 for Mommy! Then, at his costume parade, I was asked to hand out candy. When Ike's class passes me by, he begins to cry. I usher him forward encouraging him to participate like a good Mommy would do. Well, the second time around, he's really crying and his teacher told me he vomited on the back side of the parade route. Minus 8 for Mommy! Then, I found out he also had green diarrhea which is why his pj bottoms had been replaced with shorts. Minus 10 for Mommy for taking her child to school in the first place! After an interesting day, I thought I'd remediate a bit by making a delicious meatloaf for dinner. (my first attempt ever!) I managed to redeem myself a little on that one. Extra credit for Mommy! Maybe I'm being hard on myself, but I look around and feel like other moms are a little more together than I am. I'll keep you posted.

(the first pic is pre-vomit, the second is post-vomit. poor lil' lovie!)



Lastly, let me share with you some great pics from last weekend. We spent the night in Fort Worth with Lolo, Big Drew, Grant, and Amelia (Wo-wo, Dwew, Gant, and Meeya). We dressed up, played outside, watched movies on a floor pallet, and more. Good times for all! Although, Keith is showing some concern over the fact that Isaac chose the pink fluffy dress and not batman, that he clomped around in Amelia's high heels and rocked in her pink chair, and that he loved Cinderella and only wanted to watch it on the pink pillow. Let me also add that while coloring in our new Trucks coloring book (grrrrr, very manly!), I asked Isaac,

"What color do you want for the dump truck?"

"Ummmm....pink!", he replied with great resolve.







He's going to turn out fine. I'm not worried one bit. Even if he likes playing with babies more than dirt right now.

aprovechando

One of my favorite words in Spanish is "aprovechar". Translated, it basically means "to take advantage of". It's such a useful word and rolls off the tongue a little faster and easier than it's English counterpart. (there are so many other words and phrases in Spanish that I feel likewise about which is why I am very thankful my hubby understands Spanish and can follow me when my thoughts blurt out in a mixture of the two languages.) Anyway, I wanted you to know that we have been "aprovechando" and share a few of the highlights. Basically, we've been trying to take advantage of all this time we have together as a family to do fun things in and out of town before Keith starts working full-time. You with me? Check it out!

A day at the Zoo with cousin Amelia!



A visit to the Children's Museum where Isaac got to drive an ambulance, shop for and purchase his own groceries (he got a lot of bread), play with light and shadows and the largest Light-Bright I have ever seen, and revel over the HUGE dinosaur skeleton. He also tried Jello for the first time.





A trip to Lake Charles, LA to visit Mia, Papa Doc, Auntie Ains, and Aunt Emee. Isaac experienced his first parade with lots of candy and bead throwing, played in some seriously amazing parks, saw his first real firetruck, took walks along the lake, and got stripped down to diaper twice so he could run around in water fountains. Keith and I were able to spend time with our good friends Luke and Audrey, and Keith met his godson, Owen, for the first time. We also spent some time with Mere, Isaac's great-grandmother. Oh, and don't even get me started on all the FINE cuisine that we consumed...gumbo, fried catfish, boudin, red beans and rice, crawfish pie...OH MY!






All of these things and so much more have been the focus of our days during this time of transition. So...I will keep you posted on Keith's job status (still in contract negotiation with a hopeful start date next week). But, until then, you know what we are up to.

Que aproveches del tiempo que tienes con tu familia! Make the most of the time you have with your family!