October in pictures

I love taking pictures of my kids. I take so many of them, but most of the time they sit in my memory card or computer. Getting them printed and organized unto albums should be the way to go, but just the thought of it gets overwhelming. This blog has been somewhat of a way to try to keep them organized and for me to show to family and friends near and far. So here are some of the pictures I took this month, before they keep piling up in my memory card and it gets to be too many that my computer will take forever to even begin to read them and I get frustrated, give up and walk away. Phew! That was a mouth full. Enjoy!

 Autum Leaves

Soccer

The season just ended. She had a lot of fun playing and meeting new friends. This was the team's first season together so they spent most the time getting to know each other and learning the game, positions etc. I think they have great potential and will get better and better with the seasons coming up.

 My Fall baby
She is 8! and I can hardly believe it. We love this precious little girl. She makes me strive to be a better person, a better parent. She is beautiful and I love her.

Can't get any sweeter than her.

The girls were off school on fall break so we went to have lunch with Aaron on one of those days. He's been so busy that it feels like we go days at a time without seeing him. On our way back we stopped at Thanksgiving point. They kids had full tummies and were on a good mood, good enough to let me take their pictures! Even posed on demand for a few shots...then they were gone to play pretend and see the horsies. I think I got some good shots.

 Handsome boy.

 SPOOKY!

BOO!


The End

Fiesta del Dia de los Muertos

The girls are enrolled in a Dual- Immersion program at School that not only focuses on biliteracy but also on being bicultural. Classes are made up by 50% English speaking students  and 50% Spanish speaking students, which is so important to have a real Dual Immersion experience. The students teach each other, not only the language, but their  different culture, even other than just Hispanic cultures.

I feel my kids have always had a really good sense of who they are and very appreciative of their Mexican roots on my side, being part of this program at school has added a deeper sense of it for them. For example: Naomi once came home asking, or more like demanding an explanation of why some of her friends have two last names and she only has one!? Or another time she came to tell me that one of her friends told her she was not a real Mexican because her dad is Anglo. She was very upset about that one - being the girl that grew up telling people that she was from Mexico and she spoke Spanish when introducing her self to strangers- "Right, mom...I AM MEXICAN?" I am so happy it hasn't been the other way around and she did not come home upset about being called "Mexican" like the kids I went to School with in Texas did. They'd get so offended and upset if someone called them "Mexican" or if someone assumed they spoke Spanish, which a lot of them did, or at least understood, but did not want to admit to it as if it was a sign of inferiority.  Anyway, I think you can tell that we love our school and the Dual Immersion program.  In the past couple of years the parents have made a really big effort to promote cultural events for the kids and their families. One of the main events of the year is the Dia de Muertos Fiesta. It's an exciting event that includes a display of Colorful Nichos and Altares, dance, crafts, and yummy food.

                                     

Mi Catrinita

                                      

  Mi Calaverita

Sugar Skull decorating

 Catrina Face Painting

Jojo's Class Altar for Family Members.

 Naomi's class Altar

 for Elvis Presley.

Altar for Cesar Chavez

 Altar For Albert Einstein

 Nichos

 To Family

 Marriet Tubman

 Dedicated to the guy who created Sesame Street

 Dancers

 El Baile de los Viejitos

 Cesar Chavez' Altar

 Dedicated to Family members

 Danza Azteca

Frida Khalo's Altar

These are some of the altars and some of the activities taken place at tonight's Dia de los Muertos festivity. It was a very exciting night for both children and adults. Can't wait til next year's!

Have you ever wished your brain was a camera that you could take still pictures with to save into your memory and remember forever? 

This is the type of pictures I would take with it. 

Luckily, I did have a camera and will save this and remember this little face and moment for a long, long time.

He is 2!

I know all post seem to be about my little Ry-guy lately and this one is no different because he just had a birthday! He is 2! 

Looking at this pictures I can see how big he looks now, but I still see him and treat him like my little baby boy. I feel that I have babied him more that I did his sisters, even though he is the BOY. I was just thinking today that both girls were sleeping in their big girl beds by the time they were 2.  Jojo was even potty trained way before 2 , at 19 months, and we weaned both girls off the binky practically on the day they turned 2, but right now I don't think I can bring myself to doing that to him. He would be devastated! I might not do that just yet, but he will start potty training camp this week. I have 3 diapers left and I am not planning on buying anymore after they are all gone... FUN!

At two, Ryan is a sweet, happy tempered, loving little boy, but still has his moments. He loves his sisters, but has a stronger connection to one of them- Jojo. His favorite person (after mom) is dad. His favorite things are trains, airplanes and balls. His favorite animal is the lion. His favorite food are blueberries, hence the blueberry cake. He loves his "ija"- cobija (blankie) and "upon"- chupon (binky). He has a pretty good vocabulary. At first he seemed to favorite Spanish, but lately it's hard to tell because he is repeating everything he hears in both Spanish and English.  There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING he hates more than BATHS! He screams "bloody murder", like daddy says. I love my little stinker!

I am so blessed and lucky to witness his everyday, to hear him call me mom, and be the recipient of his good night kisses and good morning smiles, even if it is at 6:30 in the morning. I love my little guy.  

 Growing I remember my mom would bake a cake made from scratch everytime the night before our birthday to have it ready in the morning. My parents made it a tradition to wake everyone up, but the birthday boy or girl, so we could gather around his/her bed, mom with cake in hand, candles lightened up, and then we, yes all 9 of us, would wake that person up by singing "Las Mananitas" (Happy birthday song). I loved that tradition. It made me feel so special and loved by my family. I've decided to make it a tradition for my little family. I usually stay up after the kids have gone to bed to start making the cake, but this time, since the boy's birthday was on a Saturday, I invited the girls to help me. They LOVE baking and were very excited to help. Here's Naomi before getting started. They had fun. 

Little helper

Helping mami fix the fence.

Now that the girls are back to school I can make time to work around the house. I tackled the backyard fence this morning and when  Ryan saw me he quickly came to help. I gave him his own little wooden hammer and he went to work . I finished hammering a few nails in but he continued to "work" on the fence and was entertained for a good half hour or longer. He loved it. Such a boy!

One Summer Day.

The weather could not have been any better for a little exploration through the Red Butter Gardens and a picnic at the Sugar House Park. Sharing it with our friends made it even better. 

At the Red Butte Gardens they played in the children's garden. Then winded through the gardens to the "Secret Garden" where we found a Geocache, and of course a creek! So throwing pebbles in it was in order. Then onto the fish pond and then the Rose Garden. Here they first staged a dance performance that developed into a play about ninja warriors and their grass blade swords. We left to make it on time to their swimming lesson, which made them really hungry so a picnic at the park only made sense. 

Once all fueled up, they somehow found their way onto, yes, the creek and enjoyed throwing some more pebbles into the water. Seems like it's becoming a theme for them these days. They are just so attracted to water, and I don't mind. They can throw pebbles into that creek to their little heart's content. 

Then that hill in the distance must have seem so very tempting. They followed each other until they all made it all the way up, even little Ry. 

These kids have energy that would outdo the little energizer bunny, any day, hands down!

I love to see them at play. I love to see their little imagination going, and their little, but strong, legs carrying them to wherever they want to go- even little Ry's, who struggles, but does a pretty good job at keeping up. 

Wish It was summer every day...or not but three months will do ;)

Must. Keep. Up!

Fishing.

Warm, overcast days are our favorite.

Because she can.

She is six!

She is six!

She had a good day, filled with friends, family and good food (She chose to go out for sushi.) She was a little disappointed though, to learn that her shoe size does not automatically go up with her age number. HA!

Happy birthday little Jo!