beautiful things

looks like fall

You should hear me as I drive down the street. The kids are probably sick of me gasping and saying, "Look at those trees!" But really, could they be any more beautiful?

We brought some of the color inside, last night. We printed GIANT leaves we found at Maymont.


Glitter haunted houses, that look more like sparkling gingerbread houses under a winter snow.


Hoot owls from toilet paper tubes and cupcake holders.


And a precious squirrel I found at Goodwill. He's waiting for us to collect some acorns for him. We'll get them soon, but for now he'll have to wait. I keep finding him all over the house anyway...someone keeps moving him.


And our grateful banner...in Spanish, G-R-A-T-I-T-U-D.


It makes me thankful just to look at it. (Never mind those wind chimes blocking it...I've moved them.)

today

This is an important picture.



I know. You've seen just as many of these pics as I have. But today's the day we hope to see more and more of those precious lips. We're starting to say good-bye to chupi....his binki, paci, whatever you may call it. No more hard plastic chupi kisses. Or at least not as many...we're slow going...just using it for naps and night-night...and today was a pretty good day.

It seems like all this 'big-boy' talk may have gone to his head....or he'd just like to be an '80s tennis pro.


Today was a special day for Joaquin, too. And a long one coming...he and I went out for his birthday. Yesterday he said, "I can't believe it's almost Christmas and we still haven't celebrated my birthday!" Unfortunately, my great idea of celebrating with only mom, dad and birthday kid never quite worked out how I thought. Soooo, we may be re-instituting parties for the coming year. The kids are thrilled.


And where do you think my spirited Joaquin would like to go with his mom? To paint pottery. He knew exactly what he wanted to paint, too...Rudolph.


I've been wanting to do this for so long...just me and him. It really is priceless to take out just one kid and focus all your attention on them.


Because one day, you'll take a picture of them, and wonder how they grew up so fast...and you might catch a glimpse of a future teenager...and there'll be a knot in your throat or a tear in your eye.


This month is all about being thankful. And I can't get this phrase that I read on pinterest out of my mind.

What if you woke up today... with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?

What a long list I have. Thank you, God.

fred and daphne

Meet our two new pets, Fred and Daphne. Or is it Daphne and Fred?




Isabela put her name in at school to bring one home. She came home with two. Apparently, her container was big enough for two.

Things I did not know:
they can live for 15 years
they eat bloodworms

Things I knew, but forgot:
free is never free

But they are super fun to watch. One of them (Isabela can tell them apart) wasn't moving too much last night. We're hoping she was just a little tired. Isabela laid her rosary on top of the tank screen...she said 'in case Daphne dies'. Very sweet.

blue monster

Diego and I have a little secret.

A blue monster lives in the closet in my room. When it's nap time, if the closet door is open, Diego says with surprise, "Blue monster got out!" And I'll karate chop him back in and close the door.

I'm not sure why I karate chop him, because we actually like him. And Diego will get mad if someone tries to hurt him (like say, Joaquin).

Last night at the gas station, I said, "Look! There's blue monster!" and Diego laughed and laughed so hard. I kept it going with, "How did he get here? He must have rode on the roof!" And he laughed a hearty belly laugh some more.

But the other day, I broke the cardinal rule of all moms everywhere...I ignored the 'too quiet' baby in the other room because I was too lazy to get up. When I finally did....

...he was doing exactly what I knew he was doing but hoping he wasn't.

He had the weapon in his hand....a blue Sharpie.

And he was turning himself into a blue monster!

He had colored an entire hand, front and back, with blue Sharpie and was well on his way into the second... and a nice large drawing on the window sill, too.

I gasped and grabbed him up, feet dangling in the air, headed straight for the bathtub. Diego's sweet voice asking, "What, Mom?"down the hall.

And it happened just as it did in The Cat in the Hat....the blue came mostly off of his hands, but is now on my tub!


The baby who refused to wear a costume on Halloween has turned himself into a real blue monster! I wish I had taken a before picture, but the evidence is still there and shall be for a long time I imagine.

friends from Uganda

Mulimutya!
That means 'how are you all?' in Luganda.

This is the choir that came to sing at our church this past week. And we were honored to open our home to two wonderful boys, John and Gabriel, and their choir director, Evah. John is the one with the big smile, and Gabriel to the left of him.


I loved learning about Uganda from Evah. She quickly dispelled the idea that lions and zebras were running around in the bushes. She said they are only in the zoos. And she taught us that the Nile river starts in Uganda! And, yes, there are crocodiles lurking in it.


John and Gabriel were so kind and great examples to our children. One night at dinner, Joaquin was showing off and John told him in Uganda, he'd be sent from the table, not eat...and maybe even caned. Ouch! (That really didn't deter Joaquin, but great try, John!)


The choir sings beautifully and came to raise awareness for the AIDS crisis still alive in Africa and money for their school.


They told us that instead of piano, or guitar, children in Africa learn to play the drum.


But children are children no matter where they are from, and they loved watching Scooby-Doo and Tom and Jerry just like my kids.


We tried to show them a good time despite the rainy, cold weather. We hit Chuck E Cheese one night and Juan Pablo's indoor soccer game another. We braved the rain to trick or treat on Halloween. And they got to see Isabela perform in her third grade Veteran's Day program. We were also able to arrange for the choir to sing for the third, fourth, and fifth graders at her school. Much better than reading about Africa in a book!


The last day we were filled with happiness for our new friendships and sadness that they had to go. But now, somehow, Africa doesn't seem so far away. We wish them a safe journey home. You can see a short video of the choir from the Times Dispatch here.

halloween

I heard it exclaimed several times last night....while trudging through freezing rain, stepping in streams of water flowing down the sides of the streets, as paper candy bags burst and spilled onto the wet sidewalks, "This is the worst Halloween ever!"
But for some, I imagine it was the best.