family thanksgiving

one hip kid

the zoo never ceases to amaze

solo mucho

One of O's FAVORITE things to say is 'solo mucho'. Only a lot!  We'll serve him food and he'll instruct us, 'Solo mucho!'  And then, once I've filled his bowl/plate, he'll ask, 'Es mucho?' (Is it a lot?). I can only guess that it started sometime I told him that he can have 'solo un poco' (only a little) and he responded with his adamant 'NO!, solo MUCHO!' And a new phrase was born.

He also loves 'no sé!' (I don't know!) with the accompanying shoulder shrug and upturned hands (did I already post about that?...) and has added 'porqué?' (why?) to his repertoire. The twins were never why kids, so this is a new one for us.  I fear they will soon pick up on the line of questioning and we may soon start taking one from O's playbook... 'No sé!'  Sadly, four year olds are starting to plumb the depths of our knowledge on some things...

fall fun

belated halloween

weekend fun

Friday night Grandmother and Grandaddy came to read stories to the Vassariños and let Mami and Papi go out for dinner and dancing. A real treat! They stayed for a lazy Saturday morning around the house and running errands before heading off to a wedding near town.   

We also had our second (now annual) backyard camp out. Except that since it was rainy, we played inside and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows outside. Making memories either way. 

We did set one of the tents up in the playroom and attempted to have an indoor camp out. Tía S and her kiddos made it through the night in the tent, but everyone else ended up in their beds. 

After church, we got together with one of SylRafa's favorite playmates and her sis for lunch. 

Since the sun came out, we spent the afternoon hiking around the arboretum with more friends! Despite the hilarious pic below, the kids did walk most of the way.  It was a gorgeous afternoon with dear friends and we learned how well repellant works!  We got to see how the skeeters went after those who didn't spray. I've lived my entire life with mosquitoes and I have never seen it that clearly.  I felt like we could have shot a commercial. 

It was wonderful to have a weekend without obligations and enjoy so much time with family and friends. 

rise and shine

I LOVE listening to the kiddos sing.  And I really love hearing them sing songs that others have taught them.  I suppose it's not as exciting when I teach them, but I continue to be amazed that they learn things I haven't witnessed them learning.  Which shouldn't be a huge surprise because at least half of what they know and can do, I didn't witness them learning. 

Rafa wanted to sing a song for me and broke into Rise and Shine.  If you don't know the kiddo version of the song, this is it:

chorus
Rise and shine
And give God the glory, glory
Rise and shine
And give God the glory, glory
Rise and shine
And give God the glory, glory
Children of the Lord

The lord said to Noah: there's gonna be a floody, floody
Lord said to Noah: there's gonna be a floody, floody
Get those children out of the muddy, muddy
Children of the Lord

chorus

So Noah he built him an arky, arky, arky
Noah he built him an arky, arky
Made it strong with cedar barky, barky
Children of the Lord

chorus

 

The animals, they came in by twosies, twosies, twosies
Animals, they came in by twosies, twosies, twosies
Elephants, giraffes and kangaroosies, roosies
Children of the Lord

chorus

 

It rained and rained for forty daysie, daysies
Rained and rained for forty daysie, daysies
Almost drove those animals crazy, crazies,
Children of the Lord

chorus

 

Then Noah he sent out a dovey dovey dovey
Noah he sent out a dovey dovey dovey
Dovey said "There's clear skies abovey-bovey"
Children of the Lord

chorus

 

The sun, came out and dried up the landy landy
The sun, came out and dried up the landy landy
Everything was fine and dandy, dandy
Children of the Lord

chorus

 

The animals they came off by three-sies three-sies
Animals they came off by three-sies three-sies
Must have been those birds and beezies- beezies
Children of the Lord

chorus

 

This is the end of my story, story
This is the end of my story, story
Everything is hunky dory, dory
Children of the Lord

chorus

 

 

So, Rafa sang the first verse and did some hand motions that mimic, sort of, what I think his teachers have taught him.  Then, he said:

R: now, the bloody children of the Lord!
R: Ri-ise, and shi-ine, and give God the bloody, bloody children of the Lord!
R: Now, the muddy children of the Lord!
R: Ri-ise, and shi-ine, and give God the muddy, muddy children of the Lord!

He was very excited and proud of himself.  And I encouraged him.  

I'm grateful God loves and accepts all the bloody and muddy children.

sweet, sweet convos

I try to snuggle with each child before bed (the nights I'm around for bedtime) and have a sweet conversation about the joys of their day, what they did that I'm proud of, prayers, and what the next day will bring.  Tonight, I had the rare joy of extra time with Sylvia while Rafa (who fell asleep early) snoozed.  We exchanged a wonderfully, excessive number of hugs and kisses, until my lips got tired of pursing.  Then this convo ensured:

M: I love you, you know that? (I say this every night)
S: Yes.  I love you to the heavens.
M: S, you're my favorite little girl in all the world.
S: You're my favorite mami in all the world.
M: Will you stay with me forever?
S: No.
M: [shocked] Why not?!
S: Because sometimes you'll go to work.

Riiiiiight.  That.  You're right.  Smarty.