3...7...13

We have celebrated three birthdays over the last couple of months.  Diego was first and is now seven years old!

He is all about Minecraft so we celebrated with a Minecraft party at home with just his family.

He didn't want to invite friends.  I think he is still traumatized from his Army birthday when a guest smashed his face in his cake.  But we still go all out with decorations and a theme.  Unfortunately, my computer ERASED all the photos I had taken of his party!  I was left with just a couple random shots from my iPhone.  *sad face*

Diego hit the jackpot at Chuck E. Cheese and brought home a gumball machine just like Isabela did many years ago.

Carmen was up next.  Three years old!

It was a toss up between Elmo and Micky Mouse for her.

I found the cute little toy figures at the grocery store when I picked up her cake and couldn't resist them.

Her highlight was a build-a-bear stuffed animal.  (She's hugging it before she stuffed it.)  It's a cat, which is funny because she hates our cat.  This one smells like cotton candy though.  

And just a few days ago, Isabela turned thirteen.  This is a RARE shot of her beautiful smile.  I had to take it on the fly with my undercover camera, which is why it's so grainy.

This colorful decoration took WAY longer to make than expected, so I may just have to keep it up all year long.

And where do you shop for a teenager who hasn't said one thing that she wants for her birthday?  Kroger!  We picked up gift cards for some fun stores.....from World Market to REI.  And being the quote-loving mom that I am, I tried to share my limited wisdom with her.

1.  A smile is the best makeup.

2.  Be yourself.  Everyone else is already taken. Oscar Wilde

3.  If you never did you should.  These things are fun. And fun is good.  Dr. Seuss

4.  It takes courage to grow up and be who you really are. E.E. Cummings

5.  Don't be afraid to fail, be afraid not to try.

6.  We love you.  Always have. Always will.  Mom and Dad

school projects

I am taking one graduate class this semester called Content Area Reading.  That's fancy talk to me. Someone asked me what my content area was during orientation, and it took me a few seconds to respond with "Spanish".  Whatever happened to, "What do you want to teach?"

Anyway, we've done three projects in this class so far.  This video is the last one I did, briefly summarizing a book I had to read called 51 Wacky We-Search Reports, full of ideas of projects for kids.  What could be more appropriate than using all the creative projects my kids have done over the years?  They've had some great teachers, and these projects are what they remember most.  (OK, so there are some Halloween costumes thrown in there, too, but they went along with an egypt unit study and children's books.)

Taking this class has been inspiring.  I'm still the one sitting in class wondering what the heck they're talking about when they use words like paradigm, pedagogy, and scaffolding techniques.  But we've been reading lots of great picture books I can't wait to read to my own kids at night, plus I am getting to observe some real middle school Spanish classes!  The teachers I've sat in on are amazing,  hard working, creative,  and willing to share everything they've learned over the years with me.  I've still got a long way to go, but so far, I'm enjoying being a student again.

maymont in winter

I think Maymont will always be our favorite playground.

Even in winter, it's beautiful.

Another New Year's resolution...get these four kids outside more.  I think the blog makes it look like we're outside a lot, but we're not.  Just because I often imagine we're camping and hiking and having fun in nature, doesn't mean we're actually doing it.  There's always some cajoling to get these four to agree on anything, but we just need to remember that Maymont is usually the meeting point.

I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to do this.

Isn't Carmen growing up fast?  That's not allowed either!

A view from above.  They convinced Carmen and I to take the steep bamboo trail, came and rescued Carmen, then left me to fend for myself, so I stopped to take a picture.  I was really glad to have my camera back around my neck.  With my new iPhone, I often decide not to bring the big camera, then I forget to take the pictures!  

JP's pretty good about taking pictures with his phone (since it's always attached to his hand....).  Some of them are even better than the ones taken with the real camera!

This one never gets old.  Carmen can't even remember the last time she went across these stones.  We definitely need more trips to Maymont this spring.

Looking up.  This is the part that always scares me.  They scurry up these steep and jagged rocks, and I stay at the bottom hoping and praying.

Is that angry bird looking at me?

We had a quick little picnic at the top of this trail.

I told them not to do this.  I thought I'd document them not listening to me one more time.

I didn't even bother to tell him not to do this.

last minute valentines

I know it's March, but this blog is like our family scrapbook.  We've used it to reminisce and for school projects...instead of searching loads of digital pictures, we simply search the blog.  So in that spirit, I'm late sharing our valentines.

Two of the kids have aged out of valentines.  And one of those was pretty bummed about that.  Can you guess who?

But Diego still needed to make 22.  And Carmen also had to make 17.  And then, literally on the day of my own class's party, I decided to make 18 for my two-year-olds.  What kind of teacher doesn't give valentines to her own class?

Carmen's were a two step process.  She had painted some red, purple, and pink circles all over some paper for fun one day.  I decided to cut that into hearts and then drew these cute little bears to deliver them.  These are the same bears that were at her first birthday.

Diego's valentines were a little harder.  Our first idea bombed.  I had printed off some from the internet, and all he had to do was write his name and who they were to.  I had left it all out on the table for him to do while I was at work, and he did.  But when I got home, I saw that he had written his name in the "to:" spot.  What?  I just couldn't have him give those out.  Plus, we decided we didn't like them that much.  

Plan B.

The same ninjas Joaquin had made in fifth grade.  But we didn't have the time to draw and color all of those at 7pm the night before.  And brilliant Isabela simply offered, "You could make a stamp."

And so we did.

Using craft foam, I just cut it out a ninja shape and pressed it onto our ink pad.  I traced it, Diego wrote who it was to and Daddy cut the slits for the fighting stick.  With that team effort, we knocked them out just a little past bedtime.

And then the next morning, I had Carmen paint her hand  blue 18 times! Pete the Cat is my class's favorite book right now so I was pretty sure these would be a hit.  I ended up writing, "It's all good, valentine!" on them, and they were finished at school by party time. 

 Whew!  For a brief minute, I hated valentine's day.  But then they were finished, and we were all in love again.  

We'll try not to wait so long next year.

ps.  It was Joaquin that was bummed about not making valentines this year!  I told him to make them for family and send them out.  Did you get one in the mail?  I guess he didn't go for that.

the hill

Forget all I said about not having a sledding hill near our house.  We have a ski-resort size hill near our house that we've tried unsuccessfully to walk to during snow storms ever since we've lived here.

Well, we finally made it.

This snow was deep enough that Joaquin, Diego and me pulling Carmen on the red plastic sled made it over the briar bushes and through the plowed mountains of snow marking the edge of the road.

When we arrived at the top of the hill, we saw a large family that had already carved out the path for us.  The kids immediately got skittish.  I don't know what their deal is with strangers.  This family of nine or so people shared their sleds with us, gave us water, and doled out the best advice on how to handle the hill, plus they gave us a push on our way down.

Carmen and I tried it out first.  I haven't felt that awesome feeling since I was a kid.  Snow spraying in my face, barreling down the hill straight for the road, but stopping yards shy of it.  Amazing.

Of course, Carmen didn't enjoy it at all.  She didn't cry, but that was her one and only time down the hill.  If this means anything to you, she would rather wait with the strangers and their large dog than try it one more time.

The boys were awful at sledding by themselves.  To their credit, they had never been on a hill this big.  But they had no idea how to steer and would crash head first in the snow seconds after starting.  I took them both down individually and showed them how it's done.  We flew over little mounds and sped down that slope like bobsledders.  Way better than any amusement park in my opinion.

The trek back up was hard.  I'm pretty sure I was sweating after the first time.  I think we only went down seven times before the kids were ready to head home.  WHAT??  Well, someone had cold hands and someone had cold pants.  So I dropped my head and headed back on the 20 minute trudge through the snow to the house...so. much. harder. on. the. way. home.  My euphoria for sledding had hidden how old I actually am.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the next big snow.  My only warning:  watch out for the power line dangling just above your head on our sledding hill.  It's low enough that Joaquin could have touched it.  He asked what would happen, and I had to convince him it wasn't worth finding out.

snow storm 2016

Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.

I guess they weren't kidding.

Thursday night, we hit the stores like the rest of Chesterfield residents.  Isabela had no winter coat, we needed snow boots for two kids, snow pants for one, and gloves would have been nice.  Everyone else must have needed those things, too.  

We lucked out on the coat.  Slim pickings everywhere we went.  I forced her to try this one on, and under protest, she ended up liking it.

But who knew that snow gloves cost around $40?  I didn't believe it, so those stayed right on the rack. Now we're paying for it with cold hands. No snow pants either.  Now we have to share which means we can't all go sledding at the same time. 

Carmen is set thought.  This reminds me of my childhood.  This could be a picture of me.

Only, we had a great hill within walking distance.  We haven't found that here yet, so we settle for someone pulling the sled around the yard.

Being trapped in the house gives me time to do all the things I've always wanted to do.  Naps, catching up on my tv shows, and crafts!  I've decided not to waste this snow storm cooking and cleaning.

Everyone else seems OK with that.

Carmen has rediscovered her dress up. 

She's had these same clothes on for two days now.  Come to think of it, I may have, too!

But here's someone who's pissed about this whole staying inside thing.  Her new cozy spot on a pile of clothes.

And the good ol' days.  Crafts with mom.  We used markers, water,  and paper towels to make some colorful hearts.  Carmen couldn't be stopped.

And Joaquin made three of them!

But I'd also set out the perler beads.  Isabela and I discovered you could actually make things with these, not just multicolored preformed shapes.

Here's my baby groot that we all love.  He's held up to the fridge by those dart magnets because I haven't pulled out the hot glue gun yet.  Maybe tomorrow.

Isabela made a lemon slice coaster...looks like summer!

Invitations to play are the new way to get your kids to do stuff.  Just clear off the table.  Set out some supplies nice and neat at each of their seats the night before.  And when they wake up, they magically just start using them!  Love pinterest for great images of invitations to play!

But one of my new year's resolutions was to sew more.  Maybe one thing a month.  January's almost over, and I've yet to do it.  I think tomorrow's the day.

What are you doing fun this snow storm?

doubt

I am a spider.

And full of doubt.

Today, I start grad school at the University of Richmond.  (Their mascot is a spider.)

Here's what I'm afraid of in no particular order.

1. FITTING IN:  Whether I look it, feel it, or know it, I'm older than a lot of these people.

2. ACADEMIC TALK:  I didn't even understand the simplest of questions, "What are you planning to teach?" when put in academic words...I think it was said, "What is your content area?"

3.  PAYING FOR IT:  I didn't have time to apply for scholarships this semester so we're paying in installments.  I won't make the same mistake for next semester.

4.   GETTING LOST:  Have you ever been on the U of R campus?  We took a short tour yesterday, and if it weren't for the blue cooler full of water that they put out for us, I wouldn't have even known I was in the same place I started.

5.  READING:  I love reading.  But now it's mandatory.  This first class, we're reading four books.  We get to choose our books from a great list (I've already seen reviews on amazon).  But is there really enough time in the day for me to read and live life with four kids and a job?

6.  BEING A TEACHER:  Now that I've started this, I don't know if I even want to be a teacher!  I've always thought I'd be a good Spanish teacher, but now I'm not even sure if I know how to speak Spanish!  JP says it's too late now!, but I disagree.

7.  PASSING TESTS:  This is all conditional that I'll pass the Spanish Praxis test by April.  I haven't even registered yet.  And did I mention the test is in Spanish?

8.  LESSON PLANS:  We have to make up lesson plans.  After all, I am studying to become a teacher.  Juan Pablo assures me they'll teach me how to do this, but I feel like I'm already supposed to know how to do this.

9.  MISSING MY KIDS:  This is going to take a lot of time away from the family.  Even more, after starting a full-time job two months ago.  They will not even see me on Mondays.  I'm sad.

10.  SPEAKING:  We had a small orientation the other night and at the end they said, "Introduce yourself to some of the professors on your way out."  I couldn't do it, so I just slipped out quietly.

That list is just off the top of my head.  

I'm sure there's more to add, and if not, there will be more to add.  

But for now, I'm going with: 

 Feel the fear, and do it anyway.

go, spiders?