It has been raining

like a mother here. Which makes life not so cool. It held off long enough this morning so that we could go to the park. We got there and N said, ¨READY FOR ACTION!¨ Hilarious. I don´t know where she gets it from. It´s kinda weird watching your kid talk to people in a different language.

¨You´re freaking me out¨ and ¨You are killing me¨ are things I´ve recently heard my daughter say. I have no idea where she heard those from, but it cracked me up! So, yesterday I bought some tickets for Rome. Ya know, the city in Italy. No big deal. We are going in April. Yay I went about a zillion years ago and A has always wanted to go so I surprised him and was all like ¨Surprise! I bought tkts to Rome!¨ It´s gonna be awesome and I might die of a pizza/gelatto overdose! Yum. We are also travelling to Barcelona in May. Can´t wait! You only live once, right? AND we live in Europe so we might as well take advantage of that small little fact. I just got done making a bucket list of some of the places I´d like to go. The list includes: Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, Bora Bora, Maldives, Costa Rica, Croatia and Colorado. I still feel like I have so much I´d like to see, but I know I´m fortunate in all that I have seen in my 32 years. The list includes: Japan, Puerto Rico, Alaska, about half the states, Morocco, England, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, Prague, Malta, Italy. I think that´s about all for the moment. on a side note... Today at the gym I was thinking about how cool this year has been so far and about how all of my students are so nice and I love them all. Time to travel in my dreams! nighty night!

Wow

I feel like it´s been the busiest week ever and it is only Tues. Things are going great on the job front for me. I´m trying to juggle three at the moment. It´s been incredible lately how all of these new opportunities arise. I´m happy and like I said, very busy. I still have time to hang out with Naughty Noisy Nora too. Today A put his cold hand on her back as a joke and she said, ¨You are freaking me out.¨ uh, okay? I think my favorite part of having a three year old is all of the crazy things they say, and you dídn´t even know half of the stuff they say was in their vocabulary!

wow

Swimming

is going great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is week three of swim lessons and so far she loves it. She only had one break down when I went the last time because I left her rubberband in her hair and I figured it out later. Awesome! Last week the teacher told me that she had peed in the pool the past two times. How did she know that? So, I talked to N and today she asked to get out to go pee. Progress people, progress.

Big Girl Bed

So far so good. She hasn´t gotten up and walked around in the night or anything but she definitely gets up. Why? Example 1) Me to Antonio...¨Did you turn her fan on?¨ ¨No.¨ hmm. Example 2) ¨Did you turn her heater on?¨ ¨No¨ Example 3) ¨Did you move those birthday balloons?¨ ¨No¨ Or the morning wake up this morning with a smack in the cheek and a good morning mommy! I had to laugh because tonight she was in bed all ready to sleep and then she said. ¨MOMMY TURN ON THE LIGHT THERE IS A BOOK THAT IS UPSIDE DOWN ON THE BOOKSHELF!¨ Wow, gotta love her!

My baby is 3!

I just wanted to wish my baby girl a happy third birthday today. I´m kind of at a loss for words today. How can you sum up three years of life? I´m still in shock that three years have passed. I truly don´t understand where the time goes and has gone to? You are SO big to me it´s insane. No more diapers or baby beds or anything baby you have left in the dust, trampled on it and kicked it out of your sight forever. You HATE dolls and girly things and I feel like you maybe be heading for the TOMBOY road. You love anything sporty and artsy farsty. You also love to sing and you love your new pink guitar that we bought you for your birthday. You are so independent and have to have everything your way or it is definitely the highway. Can we say power struggle?! You are very sensitive and loving and my heart melts when you randomly say ¨I love you Mommy.¨ Happy Third Birthday to our special monkey face. We love you! Mama

1,2,3!!

Nora´s third birthday party.

Peppa Pig, lots of cake and good friends.

Today

we celebrate my monkey´s 3rd birthday. Yesterday she informed me that her crib was for babies and she wanted a big girl bed! Luckily, her crib is the kind that you can take off the side and put the rail up so that´s what we did! As always, she gets what she wants...she´s very persistent. ha! She did great! I was expecting her to be in my bed with me, but she stayed in bed all night. Phew. Let us hope this continues. It´s a bittersweet time for me because my grandpas viewing is today and his funeral is tomorrow. Thinking and praying for all of my family in Indiana and wishing I could be there with them in this difficult time.

My Grandpas Obituary.

Charles L. Smith Attica - Charles Lee Smith, 89, Attica, passed away at the St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, IN, on Friday, February 15, 2013, at 2:05 a.m. He had been hospitalized for the past 9 days. Charles was born in Waveland, IN, on February 24, 1923. He was the son of the late Alva Lee and Lena Prudence (Bannon) Smith. He was raised in Waveland and graduated from Waveland High School in 1941. Charles entered the U.S. Navy and served during WW II. Following his honorable discharge, Charles worked as a mechanic for Beckler Motors in Indianapolis. He later worked for Mayflower Moving Company until joining the railroad. He worked as a Fireman for B & O Railroad, later joining the Nickle Plate Railroad and working as a conductor until his retirement in 1984. During this time he continued to farm in Boone County. Charles formerly attended the Attica First Southern Baptist Church. He was a 50-year member of the Masonic Lodge #54 of Frankfort and was a member of both the American Legion and V.F.W. Posts in Frankfort. He was a member of the United Transportation Union. During his pastime, he enjoyed fishing, tinkering around the garage and working. He and his wife, Wilma enjoyed wintering at Whispering Pines in Ocala, FL for several years. On June 10, 1946, Charles married Wilma Jean Walters in Waveland, IN. She preceded him in death on June 5, 2011. Charles leaves behind his seven children, Steven Phillip (Stella) Smith, Dalton, GA; Linda Susan (Lyle) Fisel, Elkhart, IN; John Alva (Sharon Kay) Smith, Zionsville, IN; Nancy Jo (Bruce) Carter, Elkhart, IN; Michael Lee Smith, Attica; Mark Alan Smith, Darlington, IN and Deborah Ellen (Greg) Buffenbarger, Camden, IN; a son-in-law, Andy Wyrick, Michigantown, IN; a sister, Mary Eileen Dorsey, Danville, IN; 21 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Gloria Jean Wyrick; 2 brothers, Russell & Jack Smith and a great-grandson, Matthew Christopher Myers. Friends may call at the Maus Funeral Home, Attica, on Sunday, Feb. 17th, 4:00-8:00 p.m., with a Masonic Memorial Service being held at 7:45 p.m. Sunday. Funeral services will be held at the the funeral home, on Monday, Feb. 18th, at 11 a.m. with Paul Whitaker officiating. Burial with military honors to be held in the Wallace Lutheran Cemetery, Wallace, IN.

MY Sweet Grandfather

passed away on February 15 at 2:10 a.m. surrounded by his family that loved him so much. I am now Grandparent-less. It´s not the best feeling in the world. He almost made it to 90. His B day would have been next week. However, he missed my grandma terribly so he wanted a date with her on ¨almost¨ Valentine´s Day. He was the smartest, hardest working man I´ve ever met. Stubborn too. It´s times like these that I really struggle having to live abroad. I wish I could have gone to the hospital and seen him that one last time and I will never be able to get that moment back. But, God calls you to places for a reason and I must be at peace knowing that my place is here. And now, my Grandfather´s is in heaven. Rest in Peace Grandpa. I loved you so much.

heavy hearted

Wasn't it easier in your lunchbox days? Always a bigger bed to crawl into Wasn't it beautiful when you believed in everything? And everybody believed in you? Ah, to be young again and not have to worry about everything. My heart and mind is a million miles away across the ocean to my grandfather´s hospital bed. They don´t think he will make it through. It´s times like these that I absolutely despise living abroad...but there is nothing I can do but have Faith that God will take care of him and my only prayer is that he doesn´t suffer. I really wish I could hold his hand one last time. I´m thinking of you grandpa and I love you so much. Go with God. Love you always. Sara

Unforgettable!

First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my father! Wish we could be there to celebrate with you dad! Sending you a lot of love from Spain from all of us! And on a side note: I was laughing hysterically at N because she is such a drama queen and she had a tiny bit of blood on her thumb from her nail and she said, ¨Mommy stop it, you are STUPID.¨ GASP! Antonio and I were JUST talking about that this morning that she hasn´t said a ¨bad¨ word yet and what we would do in that situation. We figured if we made a big deal out of it it would probably just make it worse. So I said, ¨that´s not nice¨ and we kinda moved on. Here is to hoping she doesn´t say that anymore!

Gramps

My 89 year old Grandfather, soon to be 90 next week isn´t doing so great. He´s on life support at the moment in the ICU in Indy. He´s the last grandparent I´ve got. Please pray for him if you think about it. I´d like him to stick around a lot longer. Thanks.

Almost 3: the STATS

Everyone always said, ¨Enjoy every minute it goes by so fast.¨ ¨Time flies.¨ ¨How can my baby be this old already, I just had her!¨ And everyone was right. I couldn´t agree more. On the 18th my tiny little baby will be three. Three entire years have gone by since I had her. It´s a Universal feeling among mothers everywhere and I think every single mother can agree when we all chime in ¨HOW CAN THIS BE?¨ My tiny baby isn´t so tiny anymore. She is weighing in at a whopping 41 pounds and 39.37 inches. In Length she is between the 75th and 90th percentile and weight above the 95th percentile. This has been a trend since she has been born. Apparently I gave birth to a GIANT and was unaware of it. Her 3t pants are up to her knees and she is not yet three. We went to a friends birthday party the other day and she was towering over the 4 year old. She wears the same size shoe as my five year old nephew. Size 10. (26) She does not know her own strength and half the time she goes to give kids her age a hug and knocks them down. Our friends asked what we were feeding her and I mentioned Popeye spinach. She just started swimming lessons this week and LOVES it. My baby is almost three. I have to accept it. No, I can´t. Not yet anyways. She´s always gonna be my baby.

follow up from yesterday

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/05/world/europe/chest-high-and-smelly-sevilles-garbage-mounts.html?ref=europe&_r=0 take a look!

Trashy

Uff. I don´t have any pictures to show you, but the cleaning/trash people here have been on strike for OVER a week. Needless to say the situation is getting out of hand and disgusting and smelly. I seriously want to go away until it is taken care of. It´s such an awkward situation. You go to throw your trash out and it´s like, ok, I guess I´ll just throw it on top of this huge pile. Good thing it´s not super hot, but it´s definitely in the upper sixties so things are definitely starting to smell. I am seriously hoping things get taken care of ASAP!

photo op

I am REALLY going to miss when my friend Anna graduates from art school in June because EVERY time we get together with our friends she always has to do some cool photo projects for school. Like this one. Or N dressed up like little red riding hood. Or a Barbie w a gun. Or a snapshot at the beach. We need to get together more often before June I guess;)