Chicken Heart

I was once acused of having a chicken heart. A chicken heart,  not meaning I am a scaredy cat, but rather that any little sad or moving situation, makes me cry.

Last night I went to see a friend, I was gone for a total of 12minutes. When I got home I found my six year old crying like crazy. When I asked her what was going on, she said: "1st, I couldnt find you, and then my brother pushed me!" She was upset that she couldnt find me, her dad was in the garage and she didnt know that either. Anyhow, I just started crying right along with her. It was about 8:30 at night. Poor kid. I remember as a kid I always used to get lost in the big open markets in Mexico. At the realization of being all alone then, I felt as if the whole world was on my tiny shoulders. That's why when I found my kid so sad, I joined her in her grief! It only lasted for a good 3 minutes. Sometimes a girl just needs to release her 10 drops  of tears once in a while. So there. I have a chicken heart, tender like that!

Motherhood

Since I have a sense of remembering, I have always loved little kids. When I worked in a daycare, a few years before I was married, I would daydream of what my little ones would look like (my own). There were a few ocassions at the daycare where I honestly felt like I loved the kids more than their own parents (you know, they were dropped off as soon as the place opened about 6 or 6:30 am and were pick up after hours, 6 pm +) And I had my suspicions they were not at work, but rather having fun.  So fast forward to present time and I have been so blessed with not 1, but 2 beautiful little human beings who are so completely full of joy and personality. Saying it like this makes it sound like motherhood is, how we say in spanish "all pink-colored", meaning perfect. Well, it's not. In fact is HARD! Did you know that kids, as they grow, they dont listen!?  And if things dont go their way, they tell you: "I dont love you!" What! The good thing is that in an hour or so they forget. They are also the best mess makers you'll ever meet. They have "accidents" which means they pee'd or pooped in their pants. They run and hide when it's time for bath or bedtime...oh and I could go on and on. Here's the reality of momhood or dadhood or madhood: it's not for the weak. It's dang hard but it has to be the best title you could ever have. My life would be so boring without them.
Franklin to me: "You're not a girl! You're a momma"
Franklin @ bedtime "I not tirud, I hungreeee"
Bella "mom, let me be your maid" after holding the towel that she was supposed to fold for 7 minutes "OK, I am done being a maid, it's too hard. But tomorrow I am going to make you breakfast, ok?" 

Stinker's 3

Three years ago Franklin was born. He is the cutest boy in the whole house, ok ok, in the whole world! He has made us all so happy. He is talented and funny. He loves sports and loves to torment his sisters, Chachis and Bella. We are so blessed to have him in the family. Franklin is COOL.

"Hey how's it going everybody, I am new around here" Franklin on Aug22nd 2007

halfway thru, on the go.

Somebody likes OREO's

Almost 3...

Then....the big 3. Happy birthday precious child! We love you so much. SO MUCH!

Chabelita

Bella's rock business is going well thanks to the manufacturing efforts of Papo. She is a good salesperson. I am a wimp when it comes to sales. She is trying to earn money to buy a spy kit for kids. Here is Bella reading up on how to become a spy. And the other one is of her in her natural habitat, a tree, because she is part monkey!

Jardin

This summer I am taking part in a community garden. I went to it last week to get pull some weeds and pick some veggies. The corn is not quite ready. We got a good rainfall the same day I went to the garden so I ruined my tennis shoes. Mud plastered the entire shoes! I put them in the washer and that ruined them. I got some nice produce that day.
Cebollas, Tomates, Ejotes (green beans), pepinos, zuchinni,squash, basil and thai pepers.

A.D.D.

A.D.D. is alive and well. I went outside to get the newspaper before going to work. Right outside the door was the hose, all over the place; so I gathered it up and noticed the flowers and peppers were thirsty. Naturally I watered them, I rolled up the hose and even pulled some weeds. After 15 minutes, I went back inside and guess what, NO NEWSPAPER! The good thing about that experience was that I saw the fruits of my labor. The peppers were growing rampant. It felt good to see those big-o anaheim peppers. I felt super grateful the rest of the day. And yes, I went back and got the paper.

silly pic

My little Viking!

I have no idea what this hat is.  A prickly sailor?

Looking into the future, Franklin the Graduate!

we have all sorts of hats.

Saturday

Today we paid a visit to an elderly lady who is under a lot of distress. She lives in an assisted living facility where she is being looked out for but very much against her wishes. I thought about how fast time is passing by now that I am in my mid 30's. My 6 year old said to me "Mom, you know, I will be having children soon" I almost fell down at the sound of this statement, I told her "You will do no such thing until you are at least 26!" I told her 20 years is not "soon". She said that 20 years could happen very soon. She is probably right. When I was a teenager and hear people say "When I was in high school 15 yrs ago...." I thought they were ancient! Anyway. Life goes and stops for now one so I better enjoy it.

Los Abuelos

Senor Julio Paramo and his lovely wife Soledad Gutierrez de Nayarit, Mexico.

When I was a kid and living in Mexico, my mom would gather us children and tell us: " We're going to visit your grandparents". She would pack a plastic bag with a loaf of sliced bread, some ham, mayo, onions, tomatoes and pickled jalapenos. That was quite the treat for us, this would be our meal for the 5 or so hour trip. We then would head out to Zapopan in the bus, to board a bigger bus, like the Greyhound buses, except older and not as comfortable. I cant remember the trips to Mecatan very much, the only thing I recall is that when we were approaching the small town, we would drive through some thick thick vegetation, a canyon filled with an ocean of green. Where colorful parrots flew freely. It was quite pretty. That's the only thing that was pretty. My Grandparents lived in a pretty big property, loads of land with lots of trees.  One time, I saw my Grandpa with an old handcart filled with some pretty plants. Lots of bright red-berry looking plants. It turned out it was coffee beans. They were so beautiful. He grew bananas, papayas and mangos among many other produce. My memory of him was that he was super serious. He also smoked a lot of cigarretes. He was thin and quiet. I dont believe he ever talked to me. As for Grandmother, she seemed so pretty to me all the time, but like her husband, not much of a talker to us Irene's kids. She had cool green eyes and was fair-skin which seemed to make people feel more important in Mexico during those times.
They are both deceased, and have left behing a very big family. I am willing to bet that my mom's family is the biggest! It would be cool to meet the cousins and aunts I have never met.