"i do"

We went to our second wedding since we've moved here on Saturday. It was in El Alto which is a huge developing suburb at the top of the mountains. I, of course, couldn't figure out what to wear...but ended up with a blue tank and black pants. I didn't wear a coat because it was black and I didn't want to be in all black. When we finally got there, people were wearing whatever, jeans, sweaters, black, whatever. So of course I froze, and decided next time would be different!
Often, people right off the street just wander in to the church and sit down. It doesn't have to be such a perfect event like is customary back home. So a little boy about 9 had wandered in and for some reason was crying. I asked Joaquin if he wanted to give him one of his matchbox cars to make him happy, and he did! It was so precious. Anyway, the sermon and ceremony was a little boring...I couldn't understand what the guy was saying. Afterwards, we threw rice and confetti on them and there was a mariachi band outside.
The reception was like one block away, but we had to look for a parking garage so people wouldn't steal off of the car. That took about 45 minutes, we could never find one, and ended up right across the street from where we had parked before! The wedding couple apparently goes for a tour around the city after the ceremony. We waited at the reception for them for at least an hour. They had drinks set on each table, including beer and some other alcohol, but they didn't hand out glasses...guess they knew it would be awhile before the bride and groom would arrive. Plus there was a DJ playing alot of American songs...Joaquin has this great new funky dance he does with his eyes closed...and Isabela was doing graceful ballerina moves...so they entertained for awhile. We finally had to leave before the wedding couple arrived...the kids were exhausted (us too) and we were starving.
We gave them Joaquin's bed as a present (no, not his train bed). It was pretty new...so now Joaquin has no bed until the other one is finished, which should be next week!

hodge podge

Here's some pictures that have nothing to do with each other, but I thought they might be interesting. The first are of Isabela's room. She has the princess bed she's always wanted...that's the reason she gave me for liking living here so much. Of course, she goes through phases and one day hated her princess bed. "I don't want to sleep on my princess bed!" she was yelling. Can you believe that? Joaquin's bed is still being made...it was going to be a skateboard bed, but now it's going to be a train bed.
The next picture is of Joaquin drinking a juice...they come in little bags and you tear a little corner off and drink it out of there. They have all flavors and somehow they have yogurt in them too...their favorite flavor is lime. There's also chocolate and strawberry milk that they like alot.
The last picture I took from the car...it was NOT raining. That guy has on the plastic because he's carrying a half a cow to the store on his back! I have no idea how the meat stays fresh here...it is sold on little tables on the street or in little shops...and today I saw meat just sitting under a table stored there, inches away from the filthy street and well within reach of roaming dogs. Although I didn't see any dogs close by...I'm sure they are shooed away. If you want ground beef, they grind it right in front of you! I've seen pigs heads sitting on tables and chicken feet in soup, too! Nothing is put to waste!

flower fair

This past weekend we went to a flower fair here. There were lots of vendors selling beautiful plants, so we decided it would be good for the kids to get one each to learn how to take care of them. They each got a little cactus plant (how hard can that be?) Isabela's had two beautiful pink flowers! But when we got into the car, one fell off....turns out the little flowers were fake! So now she just has a little green cactus.
Then we went to eat and a little parade passed by so we went out to watch. I'm telling you, there's a parade with a band once a week AT LEAST! Can you get tired of all those beautiful costumes, dancing, and music? I don't know, but we're almost there! Last weekend, it was CotaCota's parade, so our neighborhood was packed with people and music all night. And they have them right in the middle of the street, so you have to find another way around if you're driving. Isabela might be dancing in one soon. Her grandmother is a real fiesta-animal and wants Isabela to dance. Joaquin always likes the "lady's with the short skirts so you can see their underwear" (his words).
I almost forgot to mention the pig. He was just walking around so we took a picture. There are a lot of farm animals everywhere. We often see a man walking a huge cow on the highway, and once a flock of sheep was being herded right past our front door!

mirador park

This is the same Laikakota park with the big slide...it is also called a mirador park, like a lookout park. It is high above the city and has great views all around. Here is a cool crocodile slide the kids also like to climb on...it is made out of concrete and tiles. There are some neat swings in a circle, and lots of other play areas. There is also a little area for 1-3 year olds with a cool mushroom cave, but the kids know they are too big for that part. Today they were giving out free cups of jello, the first one ever made in a factory. I said "whoohoo!" I like factory made stuff, but it really wasn't that good. Usually people on the street sell jello they've made at home with whipped cream they've also made, and you see people walking around all the time carrying trays of jello. I think that's funny.

wheeee!!

This is the park Laikakota we went to today. I couldn't wait to post these pictures of the big slide! There's alot, but have you ever seen anything like this? The first time we went, the kids must have gone down like 20 times...and you have to walk up alot of steps to get to the top. I was scared to go down, but finally did and it was so much fun. Even though there are a lot of kids going down, there is no one monitoring and everyone takes turns really well.

campesinos

Campesinos are the people who live in the countryside...along the long stretches of highway between cities, there is normally only one road that goes from here to there. Anyway, last night Juan Pablo came home late and had been helping a tour guide repair the windows on his bus. I didn't think much of it. He often has to stay late to help tourists fix problems from lost passports or other things. But he told me when he got home, that the tour bus had tried to pass a road block the campesinos had put up, with about 6 other trucks, and when the campesinos saw, they came running out throwing rocks at the bus! And broke three windows! That's not great for the tourism business! I bet those people on the bus will never come back. No one was hurt, and they've fixed all but one window on that bus. There are different companies like Dragoman, Encounter, Oasis, and Toucan that offer tours of South America, and they come through La Paz and sometimes stay at our family's hotels. Can you imagine being one of those tour guides? Knowing your way around many countries and always on the road? The hotels try to get contracts with these companies so they will always stay with us and have a more stable income. Right now is starting the slower season. Juan Pablo was out one night trying to encourage tourist to stay at his hotel. You know there are like 6 or 7 hotels on that street. That how things are here, all shoes on one street, all hardware on another, all hotels on another. just another little insight into life down here.

student day

Tomorrow is a special day here called "Student's Day". There is no school tomorrow, and all the parks are free. They usually cost about 3 bolivianos for adults and kids under 5 or so are free anyway. So today, the kids had to dress in costumes for school. Isabela wanted to dress in her cholita outfit. And Joaquin was a soccer player. Very bolivian. The other kids were dressed like buzz lightyear, witches, bunnies, superman, and pirates. The buzz lightyear was my favorite. And their teachers are having a special snack today.
For those of you who haven't heard, we finally got the internet at home hooked up! Of course, so much time without it, I'm now going to have to find a way to pull myself away from it and get some housework done. One interesting thing, the wires here are all above ground...so they ran a cable from the telephone pole, over the roof, through a window and to the wall. But the computer is wireless, so I can even sit outside and do it!

bike day!

We have finally gotten to take the kids to the park to ride their bikes. I've heard you guys have just recently gotten some rain...that's because we've had it all. Here it will be sunny in the morning and then like yesterday...pour down rain and hail for 10 minutes and then clear up again. It has been like that for about two weeks and I don't think it is supposed to rain here until february.
But here are some pictures of them riding their new bikes. Joaquin's is a little big for him, but he still likes it and likes to go fast. Yes, I forgot their helmets, but next time they'll wear them.

more pics of the party

I took a video of the party too. There is a great scene of Joaquin dancing with his eyes closed and everyone else is busy doing something...no one saw him but he's right in the middle of the party just dancing and eating his saltena. Then there's also the scene where I forgot I was recording and the camera is dangling, filming grass!

party!! top ten list

Yea!! We had Joaquin's party and he and Isabela both had a lot of fun. I've posted some pics....Juan Pablo took all of them, and he likes to hold the camera up and down...which makes the pictures all come out sideways on the blog...I can't figure out how to turn them...so I just posted some that you wouldn't have to crane your neck.
So here's a top ten list of party differences from back home

10. There's only one way to do a party here...you hire entertainment for the kids and have food and cake...I tried to be different in my planning of Joaquin's party but in the end, I caved and we hired Lazytown who did lots of games, songs and a puppet show.

9. People come late. Not fifteen mintues late, I'm talking hours late. The invite said 10:30 to 2pm and people were coming at like 12:30!

8. You don't open the gifts at the party. So my plan was to use the cards with the gifts to write thank you notes...but they didn't put any cards!!

7. They don't send thank you notes! The kids have had lots of birthday parties at school and we've yet to get a thank you note...I'm still planning on sending them though. But I think I'll have to make them, I haven't seen any little thank you note packages.

6. The gifts break easily. Some were already broken before Joaquin opened them. I told Juan Pablo they don't even make toys this bad back home and he said yes they do, it's just nobody buys them...the dollar store ones.

5. The kids are asked to say a special wish for Joaquin...it is so precious...they say things like "I hope he is always strong" or I hope he will always be Isabela's brother.

4. The kids also got to sing a song to Joaquin if they wanted. I think that was just to pass time while they were eating cake but it was precious too!

3. You always have jello before cake.

2. The cakes are not as sweet as ours. I debated about making my own cake because they have betty crocker mixes in the store...but I was worried they wouldn't like it...so I just added decorations to the one Joaquin's grandma bought.

1. Craft foam is great! They sell huge sheets of it here, and Karla, my sister-in-law helped me make all the gift baskets and hats out of it.

prognosis

Outlook not so good. just kidding. Anyway, I´ve been debating about whether to put what it was on my website or not, didn´t know if it was something I should be ashamed of...I don´t think it is so, since you´ve forced my hand, here goes.. the stomach stuff was definitely something I ate...the itching was scabies. I showed my leg to the kids' pediatrician when we took them for a checkup (can't do that back home!) and he gave me a prescription (not, you don´t really need prescrip down here), just the name of a lotion that will get rid of them. I don´t itch but I still have the marks on my legs. An interesting side note, the pharmacies give free lollipops to the kids instead of banks down here.
I have been busy getting ready for the party this weekend for Joaquin...I feel like my life depends on it (partying is big business down here) but I'm trying to let it go now. They will all have fun and hopefully so will I.
Sorry, Stewart, no scorpions up in the mountains, but I have seen some huge bees and spiders (not the hairy tarantula kind). I scream like a girl every time.

diagnosis

I have a new game for you...try and diagnosis my sickness. Yesterday, I was throwing up, diarrea (you really wanted to know that) chills and a slight fever...and terrible sharp pains in my stomach. I had also had these little red itchy spots on my ankles, legs and back for a couple of weeks. It looked like mosquito bites, but no one else had them. Juan pablo's dad said it was something I ate, that gave me those bumps and then an infection in my stomach. I think it is just homesickness. My body has always reacted to being away from home...ex. the army...when I went into the hospital for no reason...in seattle doing ballet...when I couldn't breathe one day and they called 911. I'm much better today. Juan pablo took good care of me and was in charge of the kids all day. So look it up on the net, and give me your diagnosis!

I also put some pics of our cookout the other day...and the basement is coming along!