Señora de Luque.

2012-02-01T20:03:00.001+01:00

Ok guy at starbucks. I don't need your hand gestures to explain to me the cup sizes. I've lived here for 7 years. I understand you, and I'm not an idiot!

proper shampoo usage;

2012-01-29T13:43:00.002+01:00

I don't know WHY I didn't figure this out sooner!

I use shampoo in the shower!

When I wash my hair, the shampoo runs down my whole body, and
printed very clearly on the shampoo label is this warning,

"FOR EXTRA VOLUME AND BODY."

No wonder I have been gaining weight!

Well! I have gotten rid of that shampoo and

I am going to start showering with Dawn dish soap instead.

Its label reads,

"DISSOLVES FAT THAT IS OTHERWISE DIFFICULT TO REMOVE."

Problem solved!
If I don't answer the phone I'll be in the shower!

On girls nights.

2012-01-29T13:34:00.000+01:00

Necessity. It´s just that simple. I find myself getting even more dolled up (painting of the nails) even more so than my date nights with Antonio. I think this is hilarious. Why is that? I have no idea! It´s just fun.

It´s just fun to talk about GIRL things and be in the company of GIRLS ONLY. And talk about fun stuff like SEX!

Yes, girls night. It´s going to have to happen more often.

We went to a fabulous Tapas place and had great food, great conversation and just an all around good time. I did not wear a skirt this time so it could NOT fall down when I stood up. I wore a dress instead;)

Where did I come from?

2012-01-25T00:21:00.001+01:00

http://books.google.es/books?id=2rTvWBlaht4C&hl=es&source=gbs_book_other_versions

Have you ever seen this book? My parents read it to me when I was in second grade and I was horrified. Wait, you did WHAT? WHY? That´s disgusting and wrong. The pictures were hilarious and the way they described having an orgasm will make you LOL. Read it!

I never had time to think if the stork dropped me off at my house or where else I possibly could have come from. I was like 8. At least I got the facts early on, but it was definitely something I did NOT like to think about. I will admit, I did sneak down to the basement and look at the pictures every once in a blue moon. Hey, I was curious!

Boys always freaked me out.

I wasn´t allowed to date until I was 16 (this is when I had my first kiss) and I did not have sex until I got married (applause here). I WAS interested in it probably around 16, but I figured I would probably get pregnant my first time,even if I used a condom and birth control I probably STILL would have gotten prego. (I did get pregnant the first time when we started trying) so HA I was right! Kind of.

It has always been and still is SO mind boggling to me how people just have sex with random people. It´s something I can´t even fathom doing. Ever.

Anyways, I´m getting off track here. So, tonight I was teaching 2 girls who are 11 and they were asking me about sex! Age 11! WTF? I was in like FIFTH grade at this point and playing with Barbies I´m pretty sure. It´s incredibly sad to me how KIDS are just way ahead of themselves in life. They have their blackberries (Who are you calling at age 11?) and talk about boys all the time etc. Ok, maybe fast forward six years and I would be like ¨ok¨ but age ELEVEN?

It terrifies me, being the mother of a daughter. Terrifying. How do you teach your daughter not to be trampy? We as parents can educate her by reading ¨Where did I come from¨ (HA) and talk to her openly about sex etc. but in the end, each person is going to decide what he or she wants to do. Or should I say who.

Here´s to hoping my daughter isn´t a tramp.

Cheers!

techno freak

2012-01-24T01:39:00.001+01:00

Hi I'm Sara and I'm addicted to my Blackberry. Its sad really. How did I ever live without it? I was reading this article today about multi-tasking...driving,talking on the phone,applying make-up. Our brains aren't even meant to do that. I get mad at myself for spending too much time on electronic devices and not enough time with my own family. Its time I can't ever get back. It would have been nice to be Laura Ingall's..at least they talked and told stories. I'm going to make a real effort to get help for this crack..err..blackberry addiction. Ok, I gotta get off this thing!!

thief

2012-01-24T01:35:00.001+01:00

I stole my daughter's sound machine. She slept in our room until she was 10 months old and I got used to the rain. And I liked it. So I kept it.

C

2012-01-23T00:46:00.001+01:00

Contentment is hard for me sometimes. Why do we always want what we can't have? How many times do we say, "I wish I had this or that." I don't think money buys happiness and I need to remember to be content with what I have. Thank you Lord for your goodness and blessings that you shower upon my life!

Shi% girls say...

2012-01-22T23:38:00.000+01:00

I just wet my pants watching this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-yLGIH7W9Y

And then I watched it again.

Favorite Quote

2012-01-21T01:59:00.000+01:00

from one of my friends blogs...... After showing a picture of her belly 4 mths after giving birth to twins and it looks like she´s still 3 mths prego....

¨LET THIS BE A LESSON TO EVERYONE: DON'T EVER COMMENT ON A WOMAN'S PREGNANT BELLY UNLESS THERE IS A BABY HEAD CROWNING FROM HER VADGE. Because some girls are bigger than others. Some girls are bigger than others. Some girls' mothers are bigger than other girls' mothers.¨

and almost 5 years later

2012-01-19T15:02:00.000+01:00

we had a run-in. I saw Big Johnson today. Almost 5 years later. He still makes my skin crawl.

He looks the same, but fatter and more white hair. His breath still smells as bas as I remember and he still grabbed the side of my boob while giving me my two ¨Spanish kisses.¨

We chatted for a bit and I was DYING to just run away. (Which would have been awesome)

N was with me so thankfully I could avert those wandering eyes to something else, albeit for a second or two.

He still eye rapes and he told me ¨You are prettier than ever.¨ That would be a compliment if it came out of ANYONE elses mouth but Big Johnson´s. Or should I say tiny Johnson?

I hope I don´t see him for another five years, or ten, or never!

I wrote this march 2007.......recap

2012-01-19T14:58:00.002+01:00

Big Johnson

This happened on Friday morning and it´s Sunday night. I´m still not even really sure what to say....so here goes nothin.´

Disclaimer:I know it seems like some of the stuff I write is made up and you´re thinking..ya right, that didn´t happen. Oh no, it did and it does. It´s like nothing out of the ordinary happens to other people and it´s only saved for me. It´s saved and then plopped on my plate like a big pile of mashed potatoes and then someone puts peanut butter on it. Ya, Awkward.

Ok, so Friday morning I went to work. I get there at 9 everyday and usually my boss´husband answers the door. It´s always a big pajama party because all three of us wake up the babies and then feed them breakfast. So, her husband answered the door holding the daughter and wearing a short bathrobe. Short being a few inches above the knee. He then proceeds to sit on the couch spread eagle and ya..I saw his wanker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I mean, it was hanging out, flying in the wind, ok, walking stick anyone? I wasn´t staring at it or anything, (haha) but I saw enough to know that it was out........and that it was way too early in the morning to see a strangers John Thomas.

P to the E to the N to the I to the S.

Are you getting this people?????????? WHY does this stuff happen to me? Honeslty, why?

So, it´s out and at that point I really just did not know what to do. I mean...what do I say, ¨Ya, your snake is out of its cage so if you could just put it away that would be great.¨ But I couldn´t find my tongue at this point so I just nonchalantly left the room. While exiting I was thinking..Ok, I´m going to leave and give him time to realize his ol´one-eye is out and he´ll have time to put it away.

I went into the kitchen and found my boss with her son. She gave him to me and said, ¨Why dont you just head back to the family room while I prepare his bottle?¨ NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Please don´t make me go back there (I wanted to scream) but I just took her son and sort of whimpered like a lost dog as I walked out of the room.

I had hope, I really did that it would be put away.......but nope. ..the ole´spunk stick was still as happy as ever to see me. Talk about awkward. I sat on a chair as far away as I could and was staring out the window......he was talking to me and I wanted to scream. ... I CAN SEE YOUR PENIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, THEN I was thinking, Ok, his wife is going to come out and surely notice and tell him to put it away. Guess again. She comes out and I guess is so used to seeing it that she did NOT notice and we all proceeded to have a conversation while the skin flute was doing it´s thang. All in all, a good ten minutes of full on naked penis. What a fabulous way to start a morning.

And this folks, is the story of my life.

Thoughts how I can go through a week without seeing strangers wangs and weiners? Anything? No, nothing?

Avoiding twigs........and berries.

23 mths!

2012-01-18T13:33:00.000+01:00

Dear Nora,
Today you turn 23 months old. I can already smell your birthday cake. How is this possible??

You have been QUITE the handful this month. Keeping us on our toes for sure. The two´s have not hit and the ¨terrible¨ has arrived early!

This past month was your second X mas and your dad and I had one motto ¨start low¨ If we start the expectations high, then you will expect too many presents on X mas day. So, we opted for 2 gifts and you were fine with that. It´s not like you only got 2 in total..what with family and all that. You got PLENTY and of course had no idea what was going on but you liked to rip the paper off and run to throw it into the trash.

Nana and Pa came for a visit from Dec 30 to Jan 10 so that was exciting. It was fun to watch you interact with them again and get to know them a little better. You really enjoyed sticking stickers on Pa´s face:)

Jan 6th the Three Kings arrived..more presents for Nora and a parade!!!!! We really enjoy having you around (OK, I guess we´ll keep you) especially during the Holiday´s!

You weight 15.5 Kilos and eat everything in sight. You sleep from 10 to 930 and have a nap from 4 to 6 every day.

Lately your favorite word is NOOOOOOO and you know what you want, and if you don´t get it you scream, whine, and cry. eek.

You are speaking more Spanish than English at the moment but I´m not too worried. You are OBSESSED with Peppa pig and want to watch it for hours at a time. I swear you wake up saying , ¨Peppa Pig?¨
You love to ¨color¨ and you only share the broken crayons with me. How sweet.
You HAVE to go to the park every day or you flip out. YOU LOVE the swing and could be on that thing for hours at a time!!!!!!!!
I ask God for patience on a daily basis cuz I need it with you girl...ha!

Love you monkey face!
Mama

More Lil Red Shots.

2012-01-16T23:14:00.000+01:00

I shared a few before and here are a few more from my friend Anna´s collection;)

$

2012-01-16T00:21:00.000+01:00

Why doesn´t it grow on trees? Life would be so much cooler if it did. Today we saw an amazing place downtown for sale and if I won the lottery I´d be able to buy it. Or..if money grew on trees I´d be planting a lot of those right about now.

I´m worried about space. I need more of it. If and when we pop out another kid one of these days where am I going to put it? On the roof? I might turn African and just wear it on my back until it turns four and then it´s off to school. It won´t take up any space at our home while it´s at school, so that´s nice.

Oh well. I´m sure it will all work itself out.

It´s Europe.
It´s older than time.
And it´s small.

Rant on Hollywood.

2012-01-13T01:38:00.000+01:00

I´m so sick of hearing about Hollywood idiots.

Beyoncé´s baby suite...shut the heck up, push the baby out of your vag, and go home like all the rest of us do!!!!!

I shared a room with a fat Moroccan woman who smelled like turkey and I had to put a euro into the tiny match box TV if I wanted to watch it for an hour. Big whoop. Who do these people think they are?

It also infuriates me the headlines two weeks later, ¨Jessica Alba´s post-baby body is phenomenal.¨ Ya, well guess what..mind would be too if I was at the gym twenty hours out of the day and had my own personal cook, nanny and plastic surgeon.

And one more thing Hollywood....stop getting married! You are disgracing it´s seriousness!

me

2012-01-12T13:34:00.001+01:00

and my girl.

rearing its ugly head

2012-01-11T13:34:00.004+01:00

Nora will be two next month, but I feel like the terrible two´s started when she was born......ha...ok, I mean recently.

Tantrums. Check.
NO MOMMY! Check.
All around naughty-ness. Check.
Stubborn. Check.

My precious daughter and gift from God. Double check.

on browsing.

2012-01-11T13:29:00.000+01:00

Most of the time when you go into a store the people that work there will ask you, ¨Are you looking for anything special?¨ And most of the time I reply, ¨Nope, just looking.¨ Which translates into...leave me the hell alone...back the heck off!

So, yesterday when I went into the store looking for a specific face cream..but not wanting help because I wanted to browse around for some other stuff a lady came up to me and asked me if I needed help. I said no. And she just stood right next to me. starting at me. the entire time. while I was looking at face stuff.

Can I just tell you how ridiculousy annoying that is? I said I didn´t need help.

I felt so uncomfortable I ran away. And left her staring. Into space. All alone.

Holy busy-ness

2012-01-10T15:12:00.001+01:00

Wow. My parents left this morning and it´s just been so busy I have not had a second to blog. Sorry blog land followers. I am now back and ready to attack.

Vacation was so great. They got here on Dec 30th and we went to pick them up at the airport. All was well until Nora totally vommed on the way home. Strawberry milk. Yum! The car smelled good for about a week..ick!

We rocked in the New Year at Antonio´s parents house and had a lot of fun. You are supposed to eat 12 grapes as the clock is striking midnight but my mom and I didn´t quite make it...I made her...us laugh and we only got to about 4. Hopefully that doesn´t mean that we will have a bad year! Nora made it too. Yay for 2012!

We went on a few roadtrips..Zahara, Cordoba and Cadiz so that was really fun too. It´s fun to show them other cities in Spain and I love to travel too! We had mojitos at the top of a 5 star hotel here in Sevilla and found New York Pizza slices on the way home (at a restaurant). Talk out perfection!

Don´t forget three kings day on Jan 6th. It was like X mas day all over again...and then that nigh parade galore! I finally was able to take down my tree. X mas is never ending here!

Sales started in Jan so there was also lots of shopping to do!! Is it bad that N has an entire wardrobe already until she´s like 4? ha!

There was lots of park going and Starbucks runs and laugh til you cry laughing and long conversations and old movie watching and good food eating and a partridge in a pear tree.

LOVE!

2012!

2012-01-01T23:58:00.001+01:00

Happy new year! 2011 passed by so fast I can't even remember hardly any of it!!! I'm still amazed at how fast time flies when you have a kid! Anyways, my parents arrived Friday and we were able to ring in the New Year together. So far so good!!!

Isn´t that last post hilarious?

2011-12-27T21:57:00.002+01:00

Lets try this again.....

What a difference a year makes..

2011-12-27T21:56:00.002+01:00

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-12-25T17:33:00.002+01:00

..

2011-12-25T02:05:00.001+01:00

I just went to midnight mass (I'm not even Catholic) with my mother in law, in Spain, on Christmas Eve. Is this really my life???? I think I would have laughed at you if you tried to tell me this a few years back. I was afraid to spend the night at friends houses when I was little....what if I decided to study abroad in France? Would I be married to a Frenchman living in France??? I do believe in destiny and that God's hand leads the way. Even though I never in a million years thought my life would turn out this way I'm glad it did. My heart is missing home this Christmas Eve but home is where the heart is, no? And for the moment its right here in Spain with my own little family. Good night to all..Santa is coming!

Merry Christmas Eve...

2011-12-24T17:05:00.000+01:00

cutie.

2011-12-23T14:12:00.001+01:00

Santa Baby, Hurry down the Chimney tonight.

2011-12-22T00:35:00.000+01:00

honesty is the best policy

2011-12-22T00:21:00.001+01:00

At least she already knows that at 22 months old. I was showing her a photo of my belly when I was pregnant with her and I said, ¨What´s this Nora?¨ Her reply: ¨Peppa Pig.¨ I couldn´t have said it better myself. Love you too honey!

22 months

2011-12-20T17:48:00.000+01:00

Dear Nora,
I just realized that you turned 22 months two days ago. Oops. Sorry for the delay on this update!

It´s December! You met Santa and any time we see anything with Santa on it you scream his name. I found a five minute video and you LOVE it. This morning I think you watched it about eight times, and each time you got more and more excited. It was so cute to watch. SANTA! TRAIN! MOON!

You are starting to speak more and more words(a mixture of Spanish and English) and sometimes I´m so shocked at the words you even know. You pull them out of nowhere. I am working on the alphabet and counting with you...today you randomly shouted ¨THREE¨ I´ll take it! At least those numbers are swimming around in your head somewhere..ha!

Your hair is wild and whispy and out of control. I love it! It´s curly like your daddy´s. You are sleeping 11 hours at night and a 2 hour nap during the day. You still are such an amazing eater that I swear I have to cut you off sometimes..you´d be eating everything all day long! I wouldn´t know what to do with a picky eater or bad sleeper!

You weight 15.5 kilos and are super tall for your age. I´m excited for your 2 year check up to see what the pediatrician says! Today someone asked you your name on the train and you said, ¨Nora Luque Fisel¨ it was SO CUTE! You also told her you were two..ha!

You love to chase pigeons around and today you said, ¨bye bye! Love you!¨ so loving. Right now you want to kiss everything in sight and tell it bye bye.

We are very excited for Nana and Pa to come for Christmas and another holiday with you.

Love you so much monkey!
Mama

Little Red

2011-12-18T17:29:00.000+01:00

Joseph´s Lullaby

2011-12-18T17:23:00.000+01:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PytP9XPhP1g

What great song that I´d never heard before. We don´t think about Joseph´s perspective that often. His son was the savior of the world. Pretty intense stuff. Sometimes I wonder what they used to talk about? Probably not so much girls or sports. More like saving the world from their sin. I wonder to what capacity Joseph even understood Jesus? Was their relationship a good one? I´m sure it was. I mean it was Jesus. WWJD, right?

It must have been hard for Joseph to watch Jesus grow up and know that he would one day have to suffer(for a good cause of course).

I think it´s hard for any of us to imagine being Mary or Joseph. Actually, I think it´s impossible. We can try all we want, but we will NEVER know what it was like to have been His PARENT while He was living on this Earth..

As I looked at the pictures of that video it made me sad to think N´s hands were once that small. It´s like when you see baby pictures of your child you feel like you are running up a large sandy hill trying to reach the top to make time stop and you can´t quite make it. Just for a moment longer...be still....be a baby....but my baby will soon be 2 and I blinked for only a moment.

What can a mother do? We can´t go back in time...so I must push forward and enjoy each step of the way and all of the phases that will be her life. Until the next baby comes......

on stuff...

2011-12-15T01:13:00.000+01:00

Signatures are weird here. I mean, they don´t even make sense..is that your name or are you doodling on the paper? I thought that was the point of a signature..to write your name..in cursive. Not make up some sort of squiggly drawing? It´s taken over the nation. At first I thought it might just be one or two people......nope. it´s everyone and it freaks me out. Write your name gosh dang it!

Totally switching topics......the locker room at the gym..

I´m not a lesiban, but if you are going to stand around BUCK naked I´m going to look at you. Is that what you want? It´s just human nature..it´s like our eyes are magnets and naked bodies are the magnetic field and zzzzzzzzzzrp I´m looking. At you. Naked. i have no idea what it´s like for men that are running around naked in dressing rooms..but I think for women it´s all about comparing. ¨Oh, so that´s what my boobs are going to look like in twenty years¨ sort of thing. I WILL say that I wouldn´t mind handing out a pair of scissors to a few women. Or possibly a weed wacker.........

Today there was a 20 something girl standing naked in front of the mirror rubbing lotion all over herelf and literally like tweaking her own nipples. Seriously? Is this necessary? I really honestly don´t need to see that. Just freaking change and get the heck out...these women are desperate for attention.

The way I see it there are three types of locker room behavior..

1. THE HIDER These women go INTO the bathroom stawl to change and would DIE if anyone ever saw them naked. Ever.

2. Go Getter These women change quickly and efficiently and would rather not be seen naked but it´s not a huge deal if they are seen. (This is me)

3. LOOK AT ME I AM NAKED! Mirror lady up above...ya, this is her category. It´s not necessary to blow dry your hair naked either. At least put a bra and underwear on for God´s sake!

So, there you have it men..in case you were wondering what was going on behind those closed doors. Now you know!

I wish

2011-12-14T00:44:00.000+01:00

that it was acceptable to wear a diaper as an adult. Sometimes I just DO NOT FEEL like getting up and going pee. I just sat in my chair uncomfortable for over an hour because I was so warm and toasty in my snuggy and checking out great deals on Carters.com

Perfect adult diaper scenario!

104

2011-12-11T22:21:00.000+01:00

Antonio´s grandma died on the 10th at the age of 104 years old. Oldest person I have ever met! Think how much the world had changed since she was born 104 years ago. Heck, it´s changed a lot since the 80´s...can you even imagine? I phone? Overwhelming I´m sure.

My first funeral-cemetary experience here in Spain. Antonio´s uncle is a priest so the funeral was at his church....lots of people! I´d say that part is pretty much the same. I also hear that do not embalm here that´s why the funeral has to happen ASAP. I´m glad it was a closed casket. Caskets are a bit different here... wood and tear shaped...and small!

Now the cemetary.....that is a different story. It´s like there are social classes even in death!!!!!!!! Rich, normal, poor!

Rich...it was like a village of what you would think of big Southern houses but in mini version with huge white pillars in the front etc. Incredible.

Normal: Pretty nice white marble head stones with their names and the date. Weird part.....there is like one hole for the whole family. So, Antonio´s grandma was placed on top of her sister and husband. I looked in the hole when they opened it. The wood caskets were gone and it was like bones..I guess with time the caskets just disappear. WEIRDNESS!!!!!!!

And poor: Well, that was just sad. It was like a Dickens novel from 1845 or something. Holes in the side of the wall..no name, no nothing. Just dirt.

And that my friends is what we all become after death. Doesn´t matter where they bury me cuz I ain´t gonna be there. I´ll be in Heaven rocking the dance floor.

true story...

2011-12-10T15:18:00.000+01:00

I´m 31. I know, right? Who would have guessed I would have lived to be this old?

So..I had a great b day.

N and A came in to wake me up holding a jewelry bag...can´t ever go wrong w those. What a lovely turquoise heart necklace I got. (Thanks babe!) Then we ditched the kid and headed to the beach. Sorry N...mommy and daddy needed alone time. It was obv not bathing weather, but it´s kind of fun to go to the beach when it´s colder out. No sunburn!

Then I got all dolled up and had a night out on the town with my girlfriends. 6 of us making trouble. We ate ate a cute little Italian restaurant..good food, great wine, good company. Seriously..awesome! Until I stood up to go to the bathroom.......and my skirt fell to my knees.

So there I stand in all my pantyhose and underwear glory while a table of four men directly in front of me stare. At me. In my underwear. In a nice fancy restaurant. I didn´t even know what was happening. My friend said ¨I SEE YOUR UNDERWEAR!¨ and started pointing..and then the other one said, ¨UNDERWEAR!¨ First of all..thanks ladies for being so subtle..Second of all...Thank God I was wearing underwear..and really nice underwear at that..I decided to get all Victoria Secret black laced out.

How did my skirt fall down? Well, it zips up in the back and I guess the zipper came undone while I was sitting down w out me realizing it..

And that my friends is just the beginning of 31.

Lets hope this isn´t a foreshadowing of how this year is going to go...

Santa!

2011-12-08T23:31:00.002+01:00

This past week we´ve had a few days off so we´ve been able to do really fun stuff as a family. It has been a lot of fun!

A shopping center near our house that we love and go to often has new German owners and this year instead of an ice-skating rink they brought something SO much better............SANTA!!

We waited for 1.5 hours in line and got sprayed with ¨snow¨ (that was wet and kind of horrible) and when we got inside N was scared of Santa and didn´t say a word........but it was all so fun and very worth it! HA! Ok, I´ll admit it. I had more fun than her;)

heartache

2011-12-05T00:41:00.000+01:00

I knew it was bound to happen at some point. No denying it would. And it did. Today. At 1:55 pm in the Cortes Ingles department store. I started to cry. In front of everyone.

I couldn´t help it. There was Christmas music playing and I was in the Christmas section looking at all of the decorations and I saw a bowl that looked just like one that my mom has and I lost it. Wah. 30 year old woman standing in a department store crying because I´m not going home for Christmas. Real mature.

Then I went and gave Santa a lapdance and felt better. (jk!)

Dec

2011-12-01T16:50:00.000+01:00

How is it Dec already? Seriously. How?

We aren´t going home this year for X mas. My 2nd year away from home at X mas in my lifetime...and the last time was because I was preggsters. This year we are not going because it´s freaking expensive and hard to travel with an almost two year old halfway across the world.

I go downtown and I see Christmas decorations, I go into Starbucks and hear the music and see the trees, but it just feels fake...like tomororow I´m going to go back and it´s not going to be there.

Maybe it´s because it´s 78 degrees and I haven´t even been wearing a coat, or maybe it´s because I´m not going home this year. Either way, I need to get in gear. I have not started to decorate or buy X mas gifts.

I was in the store and a sad X mas song was on and I almost started to cry. How lame is that?

It´s time for me to make NEW traditions with MY family and let go of the old ones. I hope Santa visits our house this year.

celeb

2011-11-30T23:15:00.001+01:00

I would really like to be a celebrity for at least a week. I don´t think a day would be long enough, but I think more than a week and I´d be sick of people following me around and taking pictures of me while I pick up my dry cleaning, go to the gym, and decide which Campbell´s soup I´d like for dinner.

I think it would be fun to have your hair and make-up done every day. To have a closet bigger than the state of Texas and to have adoring fans praising you for your new hairstyle and fabulous sense of fashion.

I was watching Ellen and David Letterman yesterday and I gotta tell you..I think I could ROCK those shows...if you don´t mind the fact that I can´t act or sing or have any sort of talent really. I think the Kardashian´s plus Sara Fisel has a nice ring to it. I mean what the HELL do they even do? No Talent ASS clowns is what they are..yet they are famous. I can surely win someone over with my OK looks and amazing personality. No? Nothing? A girl can dream...

My parents cerca 1970

2011-11-30T23:10:00.000+01:00

yes

2011-11-30T19:36:00.001+01:00

It was just a phase! Loves her bath and is going to bed easy again...thank you LORD!

boo

2011-11-27T00:17:00.001+01:00

Night time is starting to turn into NIGHTMARE around here!

All of the sudden N HATES her baths and screams the ENTIRE time while in the tub..seriously? She also cries for at least thirty minutes after putting her into her crib screaming MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMYYYYYYYYYYY the entire time...seriously?

WHY are kids really annoying sometimes? ha!

Also, how long did your kids eat baby cereal??????

7 years.

2011-11-24T17:39:00.000+01:00

2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
That´s seven entire years of Spanish side Thanksgivings. You´d think that after SEVEN years I´d be over it...Thanksgiving? What´s that? But it still stinks in 2011 just like it did in 2005. Thanksgiving is such an AMERICAN holiday..no matter how hard my friends and I try to re-enact the day or the food or the atmosphere it will NEVER be the same.

At least we tried. And I´ll just keep on trying....

Regardless of where you are on this day may it be a special time with family and friends. Sure do have SO much to be Thankful for this year!!!!

Holiday Photo Shoot

2011-11-22T17:09:00.000+01:00

Ah, pictures. I don´t think I´ve ever taken so many pics in my LIFE since N has been born. I love it though. I realized we hadn´t had any fam pics done since she was 3 months old so I asked my friend and wonderful photographer Anna to take some. Here are the results. I hope you like them and Happy Holidays from our family to yours!

21 mths

2011-11-20T18:39:00.001+01:00

My Dear Nora, you are going to be 2 before I know it! You are weighing in at a hefty 31 lbs and you like to be carried everywhere...go figure! You are hating your stroller at the moment which is a real downer! Everyone kinda laughs at your hair cuz its wild..but I love it because it fits your personality. You have the cutest face in the world and your laugh melts my heart. You are super tall and everyone thinks you are 3...your shoes are size 7.. You have been getting your molars recently and this has caused a big interruption at night for sleep...you wake at 3 or 4 am crying..hope this passes soon. You've made the transition to one long nap in the afternoon which has been great. You have been talking so much more this month and I love when you say "good morning and love you mama" you are a ham and very sensitive...kissing everyone in sight saying "sorry" hahha. I love you so much and am so happy you're in my life. Xo mama

fly on the wall

2011-11-14T20:34:00.000+01:00

I am so immature. I laugh at people tripping all the time and especially when I see people with their zippers down. That was so me yesterday at a party. I was leaning against the counter for a long time just chatting away and I realized my zipper was down.

AWESOME!

:(

2011-11-14T20:31:00.001+01:00

My daughter is standing at the door screaming, ¨ABUELA¨ (grandma) and crying....makes a mama feel good!

20 max

2011-11-13T17:05:00.002+01:00

I recently started a new class with some lawyers and found out that here in Spain the maximum punishment for any crime is 20 years. Imagine the most terrible horrible crime ever done to anyone and the longest anyone ever has to serve is 20 years.

I expressed how outrageous I thought this was and was surprised that they thought I was outrageous for feeling outrageous. They thought 20 years was perfectly acceptable.

WHAT??????

And then we started to talk about the death pentalty which is a whole different cup of tea.

What are your thoughts??

early bird

2011-11-13T15:51:00.001+01:00

N was up too early today so I brought her to bed. I pretended to be asleep on my back and a minute later she crawled on top of me, grabbed my face, kissed my lips and said "morning mama." Guess she wasn't tired.

69

2011-11-13T01:57:00.001+01:00

Coincidence? I think not. The number of children 1 woman had in Russia. More on this later...

advice.

2011-11-10T16:55:00.000+01:00

If you have a blog and you have a kid..you have to know that 98.4% of what you write on your blog will probably have to do w your kid. We hope that other mothers out there in cyberspace will write us advice, or tell us they´ve been there, done that. It makes us feel better. For a little while anyways.

N has always been a good sleeper. Bath, book, milk, bed. ¨Night night! Love you, see you tomorrow.¨ Crib and zzzzzzzzzzzz.

The past two nights as soon as we try to put her in her crib she FLIPS OUT and clings to me like a newborn monkey. The past two nights I´ve had to rock her to sleep and the night before last she woke up hysterical from 3 to 5 am. Thoughts?

ROOM

2011-11-10T16:49:00.000+01:00

Last week we had our first meeting. A friend of ours started a book club. How fun is this? I feel like an adult again. I got giddy getting on Amazon to order the book and Amazon is in Spain now...Amazon.es...YES!

We read a book called ¨Room¨ and it was good. I would suggest it:O)

Now I´m ordering our book for Nov called...¨When God was a Rabbit.¨ Sounds interesting and can´t wait to start!

end of an era..

2011-11-09T23:59:00.000+01:00

Antonio lost his job when N was born. It was kind of a blessing in disguise. We´ve been like the three musketeers ever since. The three of us. Together. Always.

Tomorrow A starts a new course that starts M to F 8 to 2. No more three musketeers in the morning and I work in the evening.

I´m excited for him for this new adventure that will hopefully lead to a new job, but part of me is WAY sad that our time is up. We´ll still always be the three musketeers though, even if it is only on the weekends!

ramblings!

2011-11-09T00:16:00.000+01:00

What a beautiful day today! Fall is finally here...it´s 70º and perfect! We took a nice long walk downtown and went to a beautiful garden w Nora. She saw a lot of huge carp in the pond and they had several peacocks which she got a HUGE kick out of. She was giving them her crackers screaming, ¨PEACOCK! CRACKERS!¨ Hilarious.

I am also SO happy because I am the proud owner of my OWN bike! I´ve been using the public bike system and it´s such a pain in the arse! Sometimes I am late for work and there are no bikes at the station or the chain is broken or the brakes don´t work or the seat is gone........and I swear I feel like I ran a marathon after riding when there actually is a bike...they are the bikes that you feel like you just peddled so that your legs are going to fall off and you moved..an inch. Terrible! So, A bought me a bike for 30 euros at the market last week and it was not looking good...but he FIXED it and it looks awesome...I call it my smurf bike because it´s blue and white. I rode it to work tonight and I felt like I barely peddled and I was ZOOMING down the bike trails with a fireball behind my tires and people were eating my dust. Or maybe that was them that turned to dust as I rode by? So excited!

Also, N usually goes to bed no prob alone. Crib, dolly, talks to herself for awhile and then zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Tonight she was hysterical crying and nearly LEAPED out of her crib into my arms and every time I was in the rocker in the fam room and tried to take her back to her crib she was clinging on to my shirt for dear life and would start to cry again. (weird!) I had a nice lovely dinner waiting for me that my husband had just prepared and I was HUNGRY but for some reason N needed some more cuddles tonight. So, I pulled her close (along with Dolly, Dora, Blankie and monkey...I think I had a daughter under there somewhere) and rocked that baby girl right to sleep. I almost got teary eyed thinking that she´s turning 2 soon and I need to enjoy EVERY SINGLE ONE of these minutes because there will be a time when she will no longer fit on my lap, no longer cling to her mama, and no longer want to be held close by me. So, in the meantime I will cherish these moments with everything I am!

I saw 2 lines!

2011-11-09T00:03:00.000+01:00

Ok ladies, thanks for your comments. I feel better now.

So, funny story. On Sunday we got some coffee w our Spanish friends. After about an hour hanging out one of the girls casually mentioned that she thought she might be prego. She has a 3 year old daughter and was NOT trying to get prego at the moment beacause she likes to drink, smoke, she just lost a TON of weight, and she has some huge exams coming up in summer. She also said there was no way she could be prego because w the first one she stopped smoking cold turkey because the thought of tobacco made her sick. At any rate, she mentioned her period was 9 days late (and that it´s always on time) and that she had had sex like 3 times w out using any condoms.

While we are at this cafeteria her husband went out and bought a pregnancy test. Of course ALL of us four girls went into the bathroom. Funniest five minutes of my life. The girl that was taking the pregnancy test is a BIG germ-a-phobe and she was SOOOOOOO nervous to take the test because she didn´t want to be prego and she didn´t want to pee on a stick in a restaurant but we peer pressured her! She ended up SITTING DOWN on the public toilet seat w three of us watching her pee on a stick..her handing her friend the stick and me screaming THERE ARE TWO LINES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (prego!) BUT the other girls COVERED UP the stick and were like ¨no, the directions say wait five min!¨ I´m thinking...is a line going to disappear? NO! Ya, she went to the doc the next day and..she´s prego!

I think she´s more worried about the germs that she caught from that toilet seat than she is the actual fetus growing inside of her belly...

blah

2011-11-07T23:49:00.000+01:00

I haven´t been blogging because I feel like no one is reading. Is anyone out there? If you read my blog leave me a comment to tell me you´re alive and reading!

happy halloween!

2011-11-01T16:30:00.000+01:00

Halloween is really catching on around here which I couldn´t be more thrilled about! I have so many fabulous and fun memories of Halloween as a kid and I want N to have that too.

Last night I took her dressed up in her ladybug costume to a friends flat. They have a giant courtyard and there were about fifteen kids there dressed up too. My friend had gone to about six neighbors before asking if they would be willing to dress up and hand out candy. Trick or Treat! It was really cute and fun until N fell off of a ramp onto her forehead and has the biggest goose egg in the world! Ah, good times good times.

pics

2011-10-30T22:54:00.000+01:00

Awkward

2011-10-27T00:13:00.001+02:00

I started a new class last week.

Today I went to the gym and right when I walked in the locker room I saw one of my new students. Completely naked. And she waved and said, ¨Hi Sara!¨

PAUSE

What would you have done at this moment?
a. go over and say hi to a naked person and have a conversation with that naked body without trying to look at naked body parts.
b. run
c. run
d.run

I basically ¨tipped my fake hat¨ and ran!

Why me?!?!

FB

2011-10-25T15:28:00.001+02:00

Sometimes a facebook friend will cross my mind and I think that I haven´t seen any info about them for awhile. I look them up when I get home and GASP they are no longer my friend.

Why not?
Did they delete me?
Was it all a big mistake?
Did they get hi jacked?

They are missing out on a good time because I tell you what my FB pg. is one.big.party. It is like THE VIP ROOM........so there!

..

2011-10-25T00:31:00.001+02:00

I woke up to rain today. It hasn't rained in 4 months. It was glorious. I actually wore long pants and a long sleeved shirt. Can Fall finally be here!?! The worst time of the day for me is siesta time around 430 when you get that after lunch woozy feeling and any bed is calling your name. N and A are both asleep and I have to go to work around that time. Dang! At least I don't sweat on the bike now.

case of the Mundays.

2011-10-24T23:36:00.000+02:00

I have been drowning in a pool of sickness for YEARS it seems. Ok, it´s only been two weekends but still...two weekends in a row. What the heck?

Last weekend I had ¨gastrointiritis¨ which is like diarrhea, puking, stomach pain bonanza all wrapped up in one perfect horrible gift.

Then, this weekend I had a fever and terrible sore throat. I still feel like I´m swallowing daggers but the fever is gone. Why is it that when your throat is sore it feels like you have to swallow every second?

Antonio had a soccer game on Sunday and I sent Nora to my mother in laws house because I didn´t want N to get sick. She came over at some point during my feverish haze and made me freshly squeezed orange juice.

This was just so nice. Antonio and I talk a lot about the differences in our culture and how we were raised. My parents got me an alarm clock in second grade, I had to make my own lunch, no one was waiting for me when I got home from school and they were asleep when I went to school in the morning. When I got sick it was crazy because my mom was a teacher so she had to find a sub and IF she found one she would take advantage of the day and mow the lawn after putting me to bed:)

I don´t think it´s a bad thing because parents do what they have to do but I want to BE with my kids as much as I can before they start hating me......ha!

I should start practicing squeezing some oranges.

20 mths!

2011-10-19T00:49:00.000+02:00

Dear Nora,

Holy cow you are going to be TWO before I blink an eye! You are such a little girl now and I don´t think of you as a baby anymore. boo hoo. You are really into your dad this month and I am coming in a distant 2nd which is sad, but totally normal I guess! You wake up and stand up in your crib and say PAPA!!!!! We feed you your breakfast as you watch Calliou or Dora or Pocoyo..all of which you pronounce beautifully. If Dora happens to be on you scream..NO CALLIOU!

We take walks and go to the park every morning and you cannot wait to get outside. You love to swing ALONE which cracks me up..the higher the better too! You can climb like a champ, throw the ball, and do other things I never even thought would be possible for you to do at this age.

We at lunch at your grandmas and you have plenty of toys at her house too. You still eat everything under the sun and then some. You love animals and you ride the Chiqui like a dog. You are STILL taking two naps a day and are such a sleepy bear. In the afternoon you take a walk and go to the park w your grandparents while mama makes a living teaching. They say you are the queen of the park and everyone loves you and wants to be your friend. The ¨cool kid¨ if you will. The other day a lady told me she thought you had a sixth sense...ha! Everyone thinks you are at least 2.5 and when I tell them how old you REALLY are they can´t believe it.
You recently started to pee and poo on the toilet which is hilarious too. How are you getting SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO big? This month after a long year of hip treatments they are over and you are perfect. yay!!!1 We bought you Daddy´s favorite soccer Jersey BETIS and you wear it all around the house all day long. Tonight you HAD to go to bed wearing it. Oh Nora you are such a delight in our lives and you are the most loving, caring, funniest girl around with a heart of PURE GOLD. We love you so much! Happy twenty months boo bear, monkey butt, toot toots...................mama

you leave the room for one second...

2011-10-17T00:09:00.000+02:00

and she´s like this when you come back..

back to nature

2011-10-17T00:07:00.000+02:00

pics from our hike the other day..

YES

2011-10-13T18:17:00.003+02:00

After an ENTIRE YEAR of treatments for her hips N was granted a clean bill of health today. We are so happy and feel so blessed to have such a happy HEALTHY girl!

Drunkard.

2011-10-13T18:10:00.000+02:00

Occasionally after work I stop by the store and buy a MINI bottle of Bailey´s which literally is like a glass. I´ve had this same bottle in my school bag forever because I keep forgetting to take it out.

Today as I was riding my bike to work I went over a huge bump and my Bailey´s went flying out onto the street. Holy Bailey´s Drunkard moment. I felt like the biggest freaking tool on the planet. This guy picked it up for me and just looked at me like, ¨huh.¨

Again..amazing!

Withdrawl

2011-10-13T18:08:00.002+02:00

My Blackberry has not been working for three days thanks to some D-bag tower in London. Apparently it´s affecting all of Europe, Asia and Africa. Awesome.

I would also like to mention (not proudly) that Every.Single.Time I try to plug in my phone to re-charge it literally takes me like five minutes because I can´t figure out which way the cord goes. It´s pretty amazing really.

Pjs

2011-10-12T00:28:00.000+02:00

Sometimes I get e mails from Baby Center and other parenting magazines that give you tips on how to be ¨the perfect parent.¨ I clicked on a link that said, ¨How to make life with toddlers more sane.¨ Perfect! Just what I needed. Some of the comments that I read from other mothers made me lol. There are just way too many to re-post but my favorite one went a little something like this......

¨Mornings are just so crazy in our house so to save a little time I put my daughter to bed in the outfit that she is going to wear the next day.¨

Wait, what? Seriously? First of all, it takes like two seconds to get them dressed. Second of all, what if she sleeps in tights and a dress? Overalls? Skirt? Leg warmers? Roller skates?

Thirdly, no comfy pajamas? No snug as a bug in a rug? No pajama party?

I´m sorry, but this is borderline child abuse!

BULL crap

2011-10-10T23:25:00.000+02:00

Look at this picture. HORN GOING THROUGH FACE. I had the pleasure of witnessing this accident on TV while eating lunch. Awesome. Needless to say I was no longer hungry. How is bullfighting even still allowed in this world? Not to mention how incredibly sad it is for the bull...but accidents happen with the matador ALL.The.Time. and they die with kids left at home and a sad, tear stained face wife. For what?? To stab a bull. Sounds like a really really good time.

ha!

2011-10-10T00:17:00.001+02:00

Kids are funny. I showed my students a pic of Nora and one of them asked me if she was my sister...amazing! I really don't want to think about my mom giving birth at age 60 or the thought of my parents having sex, well, ever.

vespa

2011-10-03T23:16:00.000+02:00

I had a meeting with my boss to discuss some new classes and go over some things. I didn´t know he was going to take me to see these new locations on his vespa. Too bad I had a short skirt on. So, here I am straddling my boss with a short skirt on a vespa. I was scared too so I was like squeezing him with my thighs. I also didn´t really know where to hold on because when I held on the back I was scared so I put my arms around him. HA!

Wedding.

2011-10-02T17:26:00.000+02:00

Weddings always seem to go in waves. Feast or famine. (same with kids)

We have not had any in two years and this year we had three in Sept. I´d like to say congrats to my two very best friends Andy and Jenny on their marriage Saturday. I SO WISH I could have gone. I cried. Anyways, congrats!!!!!!!!!!

We went to a wedding in Huelva on Friday night and stayed in a hotel. Then on Saturday we spent the day AT THE BEACH...IN OCTOBER..I swear summer is never freaking ending here. I still have boob sweat. In October. Ridiculous.

No more weddings until next summer.

Here are a few pics from the occassion. We kept N up until ONE THIRTY AM which is outrageous! BUT once a year won´t hurt I suppose. She was OUT when we got back to the hotel. I felt like I was carrying a ton of bricks. Getting her pj´s on was a big challenge too!!!

YES!

2011-10-02T15:52:00.001+02:00

Nora pooped on the toilet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ah, the things I get excited about....

pee pee in the potty

2011-09-28T23:51:00.000+02:00

Potty training really isn´t on the top of my list anytime soon. Most people tell me to not even bother until they are 2.5.

A friend of ours gave us the little seat cover that you put on top of the toilet so I thought...eh, why not sit her on it every once in awhile to get her used to it?

The past two nights she´s gone pee when I sat her down!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe it´s just a fluke!

photo

2011-09-28T23:43:00.000+02:00

...

2011-09-27T00:28:00.001+02:00

Things that have changed after baby:
1. Vagina. check
2.Belly button. check
3. Tummy. Check
4. Boobs. Check.

Girls w out kids..why aren't you naked at all times!!!???

moi

2011-09-26T00:34:00.001+02:00

We all do lots of weird things to make us unique and weird. I have to be covered up in bed. It can be 500 degrees and I have to have at least a sheet over me. Antonio still doesn't get it. Neither do I!

am

2011-09-26T00:26:00.001+02:00

I am not an early riser. I do not sleep well when I know I have to get up early the next day. I think its because in highschool and middleschool I was ON THE BUS by 645 am. Trauma. So this year my boss was trying to convince me to teach an 8am class. I was freaking out...I'd have to ride my bike in the dark cold morning...so I told him no! I turned down cold hard cash because I do not want to get up early. Stupid? Yes. However, in my dreams I'm rich...

cool chic

2011-09-24T17:34:00.002+02:00

...

2011-09-24T17:11:00.000+02:00

I WISH I had something awesome to blog about but I really don´t at the moment. Just getting back into the swing of things around here. I am starting to teach a few classes, taking care of N, and trying to lose five hundred lbs. It´s amazing how every time I go on a ¨diet¨ I seem to GAIN weight. YES!!!!!!!

Antonio is STILL looking for a job (In Feb it will be TWO years!)

All of my friends are on round number two for babies....I´m just not ready yet..what can I say? I feel peer pressure to get prego again..ha! Nah, I think I´m going to enjoy being a family of three for quite a bit longer! Plus, I need to lose 500 lbs. first, remember?

I can´t get over how many people here ask me if N is in school yet...she´s 19 months old. Why are parents so anxious to RUSH their childrens whole entire childhood? They try to potty train at 1, put them in school ASAP, big beds, big peoplep food, big everything......I think it´s SAD! Just let kids be KIDS! They have their ENTIRE LIVES to go to school and do big people things! Maybe I´m just a freak...that could very well be too.

finger lickin´good

2011-09-19T23:56:00.000+02:00

If you haven´t eaten at Sunny Italy in South Bend my first question would be why?? And then I´d tell you that you were an idiot and have been missing out..oh, your entire life! My grandparents ate there often, my parents started eating there when they first got married and now it´s family tradition that we go EVERY SUMMER! Really now that I think about it I have pics from every year! Here are the one´s from this year. Enjoy.

Also, it was N´s first time eating Spaghetti...we got lots of video! She loved it!

19 mths

2011-09-18T23:25:00.001+02:00

Hi monkey! Its hard to believe you are 19 months today!!! I don't know where time goes. You are getting to be quite the challenge and I'm exhausted on a daily basis! I think you really enjoy pushing my buttons...that said I have no problems putting you in your place regardless of your cuteness!!! You are talking so much lately both languages and a language all your own. You give everyone hugs and kisses all day long and are the most loving girl in the world. You eat like a champ and we are transitioning you to one nap a day. Your dad and I are doing the best we can to raise you up right, happy and healthy! We survived another US trip this past month and everyone misses you already. Love you monkey!!

oh

2011-09-12T22:57:00.001+02:00

And another thing..bladder control is so not what it used to be. I might have to start wearing depends to aerobic class.

zzz

2011-09-12T22:56:00.001+02:00

Its going to be so cool when my child is older and I won't have to worry about planning life around nap time and how many zzzzzs she's getting!!

fat

2011-09-12T22:54:00.001+02:00

I gained six lbs while I was at home!! I'm not surprised since I had pop on a daily basis and a peppermint mocha from starbucks every day (and I used the treat receipts too) not to mention donuts cookies cakes pies and all that other good stuff we don't get here. It was worth it but now I have six lbs to lose..diet here I come!!

Photobooth.

2011-09-11T12:45:00.001+02:00

Back to Reality

2011-09-11T12:44:00.000+02:00

We are back. Travel is done, vacation is finished, and we are back to the real world doing real world things. I did not miss cleaning I know that much!

So far so good. We are almost back on schedule and it´s only been two days. WOOT! Hopefully she´ll get into the swing of things here shortly.

Summer went by way too fast and it all just seems like a big blur in my head. I know it was fun though, and it was good to see all of the people that we did.

I guess all in all as far as her schedule and the travel it wasn´t as bad as I thought it would be. It´s just not fun.

I´ve never had a colonoscopy but I´m relating travelling with a toddler to a colonoscopy. You have to take all this medicine the day before and just basically shi% all. day. long. And then you have to get a scope put up your bootang. I mean, none of it is painful it just SUCKS..ya, that´s kinda like this was. The worst part is being SO FREAKING TIRED yourself and she just WOULD NOT SLEEP either flight. She only cried a few times on each flight so it´s not like she was hysterical the whole time (thank God) but it´s just having to entertain her for 9 straight hours after not really having slept at all is just exhausting. On this last flight she was having a meltdown on take-off and I looked around and EVERYONE was giving us dirty looks and they were like ¨ugh¨ and I could just hear them talking to their spouses about how terrible my child was. I laughed! Knowing I´d never see them again made it perfectly ok. Cry away lil Nora, cry away!

Just because I have a child doesn´t mean other babies don´t drive me insane. On our flight back to Sevilla there was a screaming newborn THE WHOLE FLIGHT. I wanted to jump out the window. And next to us on the big plane in the bulkhead was another baby..so whenever N was about to doze off stupid baby face over there started to cry. So you see, babies just suck on planes ...ha!!!

Anywho, that´s the story. Here´s to next year! I´m already dreading the flight.....

FALL

2011-09-07T21:08:00.000+02:00

is here. Oh glorious fall it's almost orgasmic to be able to experience you..ok, that sounded weird.......but seriously! FALL OH GLORIOUS FALL HOW I LOVE YOU MORE THAN WORDS CAN EXPRESS!!!!!!!!!! I miss it EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR. My favorite months are Sept-Dec and I'm NEVER in America to experience it. No pumpkin spice latte's, no pumpkin farm cutie pics with Nora, no falling of the leaves, no smell or burning leaves or apple cider or donuts. Ok, so you get the point. NOW it seems like fall. We leave tomorrow but I've had TWO whole days of GLORIOUS FALL WEATHER and I LOVE IT! I even had a pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks today. I almost died when she told me there are no more treat receipts. WHAT??????? But, I don't even care because, it's fall! And I'm here! Until tomorrow!!

alkdjflkadsjf

2011-09-07T03:41:00.000+02:00

Remember that episode of friends when Phoebe tries to teach Joey French? It's exactly what's happening now with Nora. We're like, "Say Luque" and she's like, "kaldsjfdkslj" "say potato" and she's like "skadjfadskljfskljf" Hilarious!!

happens every year!

2011-09-06T22:27:00.002+02:00

We are leaving on Thursday and people are just now asking me when we can get together. I've been here since July 31. Really? WHY does this happen EVERY SINGLE YEAR?!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jeff and Erica

2011-09-05T03:57:00.000+02:00

got married in Bloomington yesterday. I went to highschool with both of them and Erica was then in my sorority at Purdue. What a perfect way to end the summer..seeing Thetas and Penn friends!! Congrats to the newlyweds!!!!!!!!

cackle

2011-09-05T03:21:00.001+02:00

We went to Bloomington on Sat night for a wedding and left N for the first time overnight!! Today when we got back I seriously wish we had recorded her reaction. Happiness was bubbling from her soul and she RAN towards me cackling and screaming MAMA!!!! Speechless!

pix

2011-09-03T02:07:00.001+02:00

MI

2011-09-02T04:06:00.001+02:00

We just had the best time at the Marina Grand in New Buffalo MI with my parents. Its such a cute little town to hang out in for the night. My dad and Antonio bonded while fishing and my mom and I bonded over clothes and purses at the outlet mall. I'm so spoiled!!! Thanks mom! I think Nora is even more spoiled than I am. The girl is in 24 mth clothes and we are buying 3 and 4t because her closet is already full. If we have another kid someday I hope it's a girl so I get more use out of these clothes!! I can't remember if I mentioned and it has nada to do w MI but we got N dedicated on Tues night. It was really special and she's our lil gift from God and I hope she goes on to do great things for His kingdom. She is saying more words now and HELLO is one of them. It cracks me up because its like every time she says the l her tongue practically falls off. In one week we will be on an airplane yet again headed for Spain. (Also happy b day mom!!) It was yesterday!!! I will miss those moments when N laughs with her g-parents when they feed her ice cream or chase her around on the freshly cut grass. My heart always becomes heavier as d day approaches...better make the best of it while we can!!

amish

2011-08-30T03:30:00.001+02:00

I think Amish people are so interesting. Today we went to Shipshewana and bought some adorable things at adorable shops and took N on her first buggy ride. She was giddy and laughy and so darn happy I wanted to cry. Our driver was the same one that took A and I on a ride before we were married. I don't think he remembered us but I did! I asked him if he had electricity and he said no. I asked what he did when it got dark? I guess they have special lanterns. He has eight kids, 47 g kids and 13 g g kids. Apparently they get bored when it gets dark so head straight for the bedroom!! He used to be a farmer but has been driving the buggy for ten years. I wanted to ask "how do u wash your clothes? Where do u go to the bathroom?? Why can't you drive a car? Do you know what tivo is or internet? Have you ever heard of THE SITUATION? Do you know who lady ga ga is? Did u know that beyonce is prego? Since you have had some extra time on your hands do you know how many licks it takes to get the center of a tootsie pop?" But I didn't ask any of those questions...I just stared from the backseat at his suspenders and black hat wishing that I didn't know who THE SITUATION was and longing for the simplicity of all that is Amish.

hola

2011-08-25T16:29:00.001+02:00

I have been a terrible blogger lately and I'm so sorry cyber space. Its just too hard to write down everything that we have been doing and all the people we've seen etc. I will tell you that yesterday my mom bought me three pair of fabulous shoes which I'm deeply in love with. One of which look like julia roberts hooker books on pretty woman yes!!!! There's also nothing like getting a diarrhea attack on a walk in the woods. You suck your butt cheeks together and then the goosebumps and sweating begins. Its really fun! Nora woke up at 615 today. I hate time changes. I hope she will be normal again someday. We were in indpls over the wknd and I went to my grandpas house. Its so weird to be back there wout my gma. Miss her terribly. We just left panera and I noticed a huge blue streak on my car door. People are idiots. People are fat here. Those electric carts at wal-mart freak me out. Here's an idea...walk! And maybe you wouldn't be so fat!! Last night I sat on the couch and watched the storm. No tv. No lights. Just nature. Can't express how much I miss certain things and smells. Gotta soak it all up now.

18 month photos

2011-08-22T18:19:00.000+02:00

Last year we got Nora's 6 month photos at this photo place around here and I really liked them so I decided to go again this year. I love them!!!!!!!!!

Can't believe my baby is getting sooo big!

18 months

2011-08-19T02:44:00.001+02:00

Dear Nora,
Today you are 18 mths old and I cannot believe it! You are 30 lbs and taller than most kids your age. Your hair reminds me of bozo the clown..I love it! You have your papas curls. You have all four eye teeth and four molars coming in which is a bit intense!! You are a parrot these days and repeat everything we say. You babble a lot..I wish I knew what you were saying. This mth we came to the usa and you did ok on the airplane. You are finally on a schedule after two weeks. Getting up at five am was super fun. You only want to be w me at all times which is a bit overwhelming but I know I will miss these days. Today we got your pic taken at the same place when you were 6 mths old and it made me want to cry!!!! Stop time please. You will forever be my tiny girl and I love you! Mama

busy!

2011-08-16T03:17:00.000+02:00

we´ve been so busy i don´t even remember who we´ve seen or what we have done!

here are some pix though...