pictures aren't for everyone

Welcome to DC.

This photo has a nice story behind it.

We were all walking along the mall, kind of spread out, taking in all the action. I had hung back, since I had my zoom lens on and was trying to get a nice shot of Isabela and her Daddy, who were strolling along holding hands. There also happened to be a HUGE national book fair going on along the mall, with all kinds of tents and attractions being set up.

So I had snapped a few shots of them, and noticed out of the corner of my eye, two ladies on a bench nearby, holding large magazines up over their faces. My first thought was 'Wow, they must need glasses if they can't read that.'

But as I passed by, checking my camera to see if I had any good shots, they put down their magazines and said, "No pictures, please."

I quickly assured them with a smile and a few words that I wasn't taking it of them, but up ahead. (After all, wasn't that the Washington Monument over there?)

But they were antagonizing. And I could tell they were trying to be mean about it.

I tried to size up the situation. First, they were twins. They were at LEAST 60 years old. They were dressed the same. Maybe they were famous authors here for the book signings....

....So out of my mouth comes, "Why? Are you somebody?"

Niceties were somehow behind us now.

They quickly retorted indignantly, "We're citizens of the United States and our image belongs to us." Then I realized I wasn't dealing with some famous authors, but some crazies.

I said, "Well, that's my daughter and my husband up there and I want a picture of them," and decided to cut my losses and walk on.

I WISHED I'd said, "You might want to sit somewhere other than on the mall of the tourist capital of the world if you don't want your picture taken," but I didn't think of it at the time.

Yep. Welcome to DC.

kickers

Isabela's playing soccer again. And we're so cheap that we don't buy the team photo...just snap some quick pics as they're lining up for it.


But we will spend money on a very small and somewhat cold Papa John's Pizza...worth every penny.


Pre game jitters? Psyching herself up? Their team lost pretty bad...something like 15-0...I know it's not supposed to be about winning, but that's just for when you win, right? I do hope this season isn't like the first one she played when they lost every game.


JP is coaching Joaquin's team this year. I'd love to see it, but we're normally on different fields. Diego is ready for his own team, too, but I'm not sure they have them for two year olds. For now, I just chase him off the field...and he's very fast.


Ooooh...she's got the ball! Actually this is a corner kick. Normally, she's content to trot behind the pack as they dribble downfield, and she'd like to play goalie. I think that's because they don't run so much. It's fun to watch her though...she's so social...giving piggy backs during practice, chatting on the field during the game...she didn't get that from me.

Yay, Isabela! Goaaaaaalllll! (or not.) We love you either way.

magnified

Lovin' this.

abuelo at work

I think this was taken bright and early, the first morning Abuelo got here. He replaced the roof on our bay window that has looked disreputable for years. Lowe's is definitely his favorite store.


I think he's probably been there five times. He's also replaced our front steps...the first of which was going to give any day now.


And there's the rain gutter on the back porch...it used to overflow and come pouring out over Isabela's window and right into her room. Not anymore.

Yes, my front porch looks like this. But the house has never looked better.


The fun Uncle has been taking our daredevil for rides...and letting him play way too many games on his phone.


And Isabela is enjoying her cholita outfit. She can really balance that hat on her head!

Sorpresa!

Saturday night, we head up the familiar I-95 to DC on the way to the airport. JP's brother was flying in, and instead of sending Juan Pablo by himself like we normally do, I suggested that we all go. It would be a late night, but it would be fun to welcome him as a family. I even bring balloons to blow up and wave when he arrives.

During the drive, I mention, "What if your dad comes with him?" We've been wanting him to visit ever since we got married and moved back to the states. JP shakes it off with a "Nah. I don't think so."

It takes us two trips around the airport to find the correct parking area, but we arrive on time and head into the terminal. We light up at the moving walkways like it's Kings Dominion, and you can hear squeals of excitement echoing down the halls.

It's not like the old days...or even like they still do it in some movies. You're not waiting at the end of the plane's walkway to greet your long lost relatives as they shuffle off the plane looking dazed and disoriented. You're not even allowed over there, of course.

We wait at baggage claim for him. And wait. And wait.

At one point, Isabela sees someone in a teal blue shirt and exclaims, "I see him!" And we all crane our necks saying, "Where? Where?"

"Right there!" she points. I can tell she wants to hop off the seat and run over to him, but I'm holding her back because there were a lot of people. He gets closer and closer and we're still asking, "Where is he?"

It turns out... that's not Uncle. Looks nothing like him, really. But the shirt did seem like something he would wear. Her face turns a light shade of pink, and we all bust out laughing at the guy who wasn't Uncle.

Searching the oncoming faces, we're still waiting anxiously to surprise him. And we start to get a little worried. The crowds aren't coming as strong now. I suggest he might have gone to the bathroom after the long flight. But JP decides to take Joaquin and go find him.

They're gone for awhile. Isabela and I continue to scan the crowds, while Diego waits unusually patient as I hold his hand with a tight grip. The baggage carousel is great entertainment and little too tempting, I imagine.

Then, far off in the distance, I see balloons. I can't tell who's carrying them, but those are definitely our balloons. And then my eye catches a distinctive head full of grey hair on a man with a suit. IT'S HIM! Hid dad! Those sneaky Medinas. They managed to it a secret for weeks. It turns out the surprise is on us!

We run over and give big hugs and shy looks from little faces who are unsure.

And it's all so incredible. We're all there to greet them. We have the big mini-van and are able to fit everyone in. And that sneaking suspicion I had on the way up. I do sometimes think I'm a great detective. Most moms are, after all. I think what gave it away was the fact that his dad didn't call us to say Julio had taken off from Bolivia. They always call.

Still, I love a good surprise.

apple week

Diego and I had an apple week when the kids went back to school. I thought I might try using some theme lessons with him a couple of days a week, since it's just him and I now.

This contact paper apple I found on pinterest. His favorite part of the activity was when we went outside and picked one leaf from a tree to add to the stem. And here is where I learned it's important to have the craft prepared before you start it with a two year old.


It looks pretty in the window and he is proud to see his work displayed.


We collected apples from the playhouse. He couldn't hang them up yet, but that's something we can practice.


I'm working on making some of those cute sensory bins that are all over the web...we played with these apple toys instead since I can't ever get my act together. Ten Apples up on Top was a good book to read this week. His first Dr. Seuss.


And of course, apple printing....cut both ways. Place your paper on a towel if you try this because the apple is never exactly flat, and it makes the print come out better.


And I'm trying to stick to the Spanish...his vocabulary is growing!

photo shoot gone awry

We've been working on redecorating Joaquin and Diego's room.
Joaquin suggested a football theme...now it's headed for baseball...but when he wanted football, I thought it would be cool to get some shots of him tossing the ball around to put on his wall.

Well, you can't see the ball very well, but I love his eyes in this one.


Our photo shoot didn't last long...whatever Joaquin does, Diego wants to do, too.


And he can keep up pretty well. The next wide receiver.


So Diego decides to lay down in the grass.
I thought, 'How sweet. Ewwww. Bugs..' Then I thought, 'Kids used to lay in grass all the time. It's so soft and cool when you touch it.'


Isabela laid down, also. I really wanted to join them...but I realized.... we don't have any grass. It's all weeds and very pokey.


He looks like he's thinking the same thing. "This really isn't that fun." Notice the giant mosquito on his face.


And here's our little comedian. Always on the lookout for a good laugh. Should I put this on the wall?

an unexpected visitor

When we moved to this house in the country, I thought we'd definitely see lots of wildlife. I wondered if I'd even be scared to go outside. Maybe there'd be a bear!

Well, it turns out we're not that country...and the biggest wild animal attack we've had was when the skunk chased the cat around the house spraying all the way.

But the other morning, Joaquin looks out of the window and excitedly says, "A deer!" He was so close! A young Bambi. Didn't you always think Bambi was a girl's name?


I ran for the camera hoping not to scare him. We watched him for about 15 minutes...until Joaquin snuck out the front door, then around the side of the house and ended up making him leap into the woods.


Very cool, though. We're hoping he'll come visit again.

Seven

We celebrated seven last week. He's been saying he's seven for almost a year now. I'm not sure what his deal with six was, but now he can say it and mean it.

Birthday morning.
Bright and early. (Check out the still black windows.) His face looks like he's squinting from a blinding flash, or in terrible pain from some unseen person pinching him...but this is his "I'm so excited I'm going to burst face."


Then I made him wait for Dad before he could open his presents. Plus since he woke up at the crack of dawn, I think he's still in a little daze.


This is what he'd been asking for for months. Now it is put together, and he only occasionally freaks out when someone messes it up.


Strictly homemade cakes around here now. It's supposed to be a football field, minus the football and the goal posts. I was a little strapped for time. He did love the field though. He's sweet.


Isabela thought to make the posts with the candles, and formed a ball of sorts in the middle. Joaquin counted and noticed there were actually eight candles on his cake. Well, at least there weren't six.


Can you believe we forgot to smash his face in his cake??? He asked about it later and I felt so bad. What kind of parents are we?


So, in honor of our sweet seven year old, I thought I'd share seven interesting facts about him...

1. He likes to sleep with a nightlight on. I mean, he'll scream and leap from his bed if the light goes off without his nightlight on.

2. He wants to be a wild animal vet when he grows up. I see him more of a stunt man, or super hero, myself.

3. He'd probably say his favorite movie is Star Wars. (He's never seen it.)

4. His favorite sports are football and baseball. (He's never played them or even watched a game before.)

5. He can flip onto any cushion from any height. Well, we haven't tried the roof, but I'd bet he'd like to. He flies from the top of steps. He hits the ceiling before he jumps off his bed. I'm just happy we're in a one story house.

6. He can read for many hours straight. I checked out Bonjour Babar the other day...it's a compilation of six Babar stories...he was quiet for hours, took it with him in the car, slept with it at night.... until he'd finished it.

7. He's sweet, sensitive, and caring. Right after he calls you, "Butt", he'll apologize in the most sincere way...and make it up to you with an amazingly set table with folded napkins, tall wine glasses filled with ice water, dimmed lights, arranged silverware, and a precious smile.

We love you, Joaquin. You make us smile, too.

LEGO gift bags

We have a birthday coming up tomorrow. It used to be, moms sent cupcakes or cookies to school to celebrate. But I'm really not sure when that tradition started...I don't remember my mom ever doing that. And I, for one, am glad it's a no-no now. Those teachers don't need 25 kids full of sugar 25 times during the year.

What you can send in is a non-food item. Which is still a little confusing to me...the poor birthday boy is giving everyone else a present on his special day. But it's giving. And I'm all for anything that will help my children be more giving.

So this year...he's into LEGOS. And I found this amazing printable LEGO coloring book here.

I added a different cover for a boy or a girl...sewed the pages together...put them in a ziploc baggie...and added a little phrase on top of the bag. (Sewing paper is my new favorite thing to do.) Of course, I waited until tonight to do most of the work, so I just finished a few hours ago. But I think they turned out cute, and Joaquin is eager to hand them out tomorrow. Here's some pics:

first lunch

This weekend, I used a 50% off Michael's coupon to get some of those silicone baking cups. Two words.
LOVE THEM.

They make the kids' lunches look so fun, but more importantly, keep the food separated (for the most part)...and really, what kid wants their foods touching?

So I took a picture because I'm not sure they'll get another one this good. But I'm definitely doing the #1 mom tip this year...making the lunches the night before. So much easier!



This lunch had:
blueberries
cantaloupe
strawberries
carrots
turkey and cheese on whole wheat
kale chips*
apple juice
granola bar for snack

*These, it turns out, are best right out of the oven. The kids LOVE them though, and it's so healthy for them. The recipe is simple: Trim the stem off the kale. Wash. Toss in olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Cook on baking sheet at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. They are crispy just like chips and delicious.

If you don't believe me, here's some proof:

first days

What an excited smile! First one up. Made his bed, cleaned his room, dressed and ready to go right away. But the waiting got to him.


This one was the last one up...but out on the porch fifteen minutes before the bus was supposed to come, dancing in the rain...she somehow made it out of the house withOUT making her bed or picking up her floor. How does she DO that?


And this one wanted to get on the bus, too. "I ride bus." "I go schoo."


Not yet, Isabela. We still have five more minutes.


The smile is starting to fade now. The nerves are setting in. I'm sure he gets it from me...I get very nervous before doing new things, but after many decades, I've learned to feel the fear and do it anyway (most of the time.) He's still new at this.


He ended up in tears, not wanting to go.


I'd made each of them a heart for their pocket in case they got lonely. By the first day of school, we'd lost all but one. Isabela thoughtfully gave hers up for her sad brother.


I think it worked. He wants to take it again tomorrow.