Birthday Fun

After gifts and birthday pancakes, we headed to a nearby park.  Papi and the boys played soccer while Mami, JA, Grandma, & Grandpa walked the bike path (JA rode her bike.)

We enjoyed having Grandma and Grandpa visit for an extended weekend.

We enjoyed lunch at Golden Corral, naps, games on the Wii, pumpkin pie, egg drop soup and bruschetta for dinner, and 2 games of RummyJoke. It was a great day, and JA said it was her best birthday ever.

A Baby Story

As we were waiting for the pumpkin pie to cool last night, I was thinking about this time 7 years ago. 

I sent Juan off to work 3rd shift, with the promise that I would call once contractions were 20 minutes apart.  I was sure this was false labor, so I didn't mention that contractions were already 15 minutes apart, and had been for a few hours.  I called the nurse line throughout the night and Juan kept calling me to check in.  Around 3am I must have sounded different on the phone, because he decided to come home.  Good thing he did because by the time he got there, contractions were 4-6 minutes apart.  We headed to the hospital at 6am (contractions were 2 minutes apart when we got there!), and JA was born that afternoon at 3:52. 

What a marvelous moment!  We believe life begins at conception, so I already considered myself a mom, but it is such a glorious moment when you meet your baby face-to-face.

I have been so incredibly blessed to be JA's mami.  I have learned a lot from her; about myself, about the kind of person I want to be, and about complete faith in God. 

Happy Birthday, JA!

Feliz cumpleanos, Papi!

Birthdays are a big deal around here.  Not the "rent a jump house and have all matching paper goods" kind of big deal, rather the "take a day off from school and work and spend time celebrating together" kind of big deal.  So, Papi took today as a vacation day and spent his birthday celebrating with us.

We had a great day planned, and we ended up doing most of it.  We had our special birthday pancakes, and shared the cards and gifts we had made for Papi.

Then, we went to a nearby park and kicked the soccer ball around.

Later, we ate lunch at a Chinese buffet we hadn't been to yet and Papi had been anxious to try (he really misses Ming's.)

After naptime, we had birthday cake (pumpkin pie cake with cream cheese frosting) and then went to the mall in search of Wii games.  Papi didn't find what he was looking for though. :(

We had planned to go fishing, but it was too windy for that, so instead, we went to another park and the kids modeled some of the knit hats I've made that I'm going to try to sell on ETSY.

It was a wonderful day just hanging out together and celebrating another year with Papi!

Day Trip to Mexico

Mexico, MO, that is.

This past weekend was Alpaca Farm Days. We were pleasantly surprised that the alpaca farm we were visiting also had a U-pick apple orchard with dwarf apple trees.  We used to go apple picking in Peoria each year on Labor Day, but that orchard was sold and the new owners didn't allow U-pick.  That was about 3 years ago, so this was quite a treat!

The drive there was only about 45 minutes, which included 3 miles of gravel roads.  Just before we arrived, we saw this trying to cross the road.  Papi and JT got out to see it up close, and it waited patiently while they took pictures before it continued across the road and into the weeds.

This is only about 1/4 - 1/3 of the length of the snake - it was about 5-6 feet long!

This male alpaca seemed friendly with people, but apparently was mean to the other male alpacas, and too friendly with the females!

She was scared to get closer, but really wanted a picture with him.

This alpaca wasn't sure it wanted to be lead around in a circle.

It had gotten used to the lead when it was JT's turn.

Paint!

Notice her paint stayed nice and separate.

His colors were mixed before he even began to paint!

I love the look of concentration.

He was so happy to be painting.

The Best Day

Homeschool has been a bit of a battle lately.  Partly due to the kids' skills being beyond their developmental readiness.  As I type that it doesn't make sense, so I'll try to explain.  JA reads at a mid-3rd grade level in both Spanish & English, but she still prefers picture books, and is just beginning to have patience for chapter books.  JT reads at a kindergarten level in Spanish (he can read slowly, sounding out each syllable) and a preK level in English (common words.) He doesn't enjoy reading or writing at the moment because it still takes so much effort. His patience for read alouds is also much less than his sister's, and books without pictures are just awful in his opinion.

Yesterday, though, we had a breakthrough.  The kids listened to stories and our science text while under a blanket tent they had made.  JA even did her math under that tent!  I wonder what other ways we can make learning more fun around here.  We don't do a lot of workbooks or textbook learning (mostly learning from our reading and conversations), but there is some, and those are the things that cause the most problems.  Maybe we can work at a park one day, or find other easy changes to liven things up a bit. 

Listening to a read aloud

This is JT.  He's always so goofy and loves when he can makes us laugh.

They built this together, without arguments.  Clean-up didn't go as well.

Perfect

It's 5:30am and I'm holding a baby toddler who woke up thirsty and cold.  He's now content, having put on more pajamas and drunk some warm milk.  He's on my lap, staring at me and discovering my eyelashes.  This moment is perfect.  I love being a mom - his mom, and mom to JA and JT, too.