tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10535223719613910572012-02-16T08:49:48.154-08:00Live...laugh...love Life with 4 kids 6 and under. Our trip to pick up Tonito in China is: mid-March 2008 through April 12. Our trips to pick up Ricky in Ethiopia are in June and August of 2010.Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.comBlogger4631100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-88079817270923756932011-11-09T10:41:00.000-08:002011-11-09T10:43:18.451-08:00

Please stop by my newest project:www.kidworldcitizen.orgMy goal with this web site is to share the global activities that I have used in my classroom and with my 4 children. You will find games, recipes that please even the most discerning tummies, art projects, endless reviews on children’s literature related to world cultures, games, and other activities that help enrich little minds.

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-78226777893224231802011-03-14T23:26:00.000-07:002011-07-22T19:35:25.870-07:00

Day 2 was equally fun- we went to Magic Kingdom and headed straight back to Fantasyland to ride all of the little kids' rides. They absolutely loved it, and it wasn't even crowded (yay for no lines!). We went back to the hotel for a lunch and nap, and then returned to the park for some more rides. While waiting to enter Mickey's Philharmonic 3-D show, all of a sudden we realized that in 15

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-13898042640867073092011-03-13T21:16:00.000-07:002011-07-22T19:26:04.558-07:00

EPCOT was so much fun! Disclosure: I am a type-A, extreme planner. Because of this, I had read every single blog and guide to DW, analyzed the attendance history of each park (to determine which had less crowds on which days), saturated my brain with random tips from other moms, and had made up an itinerary that would allow us to see the most possible, with the least waiting in lines. If you are

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-68523946657906161832011-03-12T22:09:00.000-08:002011-07-22T19:15:55.650-07:00

We picked up the kids from school on Friday afternoon, and started driving east! They had no idea where we were going, and just went with the flow. We told them we were going "on vacation" and that we would be staying in a hotel (just that simple fact had them excited!).We drove until they were asleep, carried them into the hotel, and then at 4am the next morning we got in the car and told them

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-64499850627253789792011-03-09T22:37:00.000-08:002011-05-31T20:13:58.743-07:00

We got some free tickets to the Rodeo (thank you Melissa!:) and Tonio, Tonito, Vivi and I were so excited for our first visit! Looking around at the other rodeo-goers and the ubiquitous fashion, it was immediately obvious that we were not in any way cowboy or Western or even Texan. Regardless of our lack of boots, fringe and leather, we quickly became fans. Walking up to the Rodeo, we had to pass

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-58249827624713743562011-03-02T20:21:00.000-08:002011-05-30T20:40:52.023-07:00

Their first t-ball game!!!! First of all, I love our coach. This was an email he sent us before the first game (this is my kind of coach!!!!):"Our players will run the wrong way, play in the dirt, not pay attention all the time, and occasionally test our patience. They are 4, 5, and 6 yrs old. That's just the way it is. The idea is for them to have fun playing a team sport. Don’t expect

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-202257397535083232011-03-01T19:40:00.000-08:002011-07-22T18:44:45.327-07:00

I have been having fun this spring taking Ricky and Maya on little field trips- just the 3 of us. Recently we went walking around some parks and to the Children's Museum. They had a lot of fun and enjoyed getting a little more individualized attention- and they both got to hold one of mommy's hands! (a frequently contentious issue when the 4 kids are together)---Ricky and Maya make me laugh so

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-25132152168199210412011-02-27T19:14:00.000-08:002011-05-26T19:27:17.959-07:00

This morning I ran a 10K (yay!) and we decided to relax a bit in the afternoon. The kids (except Maya) claimed that they were "hot" and officially opened our swimming pool today. We do not have a heated pool, and I personally thought the water was really cold (Ricky's teeth were chattering!)- but they swam for a little bit and laughed the whole time. Do kids just not notice the temperature!? We

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-9630563257476227492011-02-25T21:49:00.000-08:002011-05-26T19:08:40.546-07:00

 Today we had the rodeo at Maya's school, so I brought Ricky and friend to enjoy the games! Ricky with his little Spanish-speaking buddies;)-  "Milking" the cow (a glove with white paint!)-

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-51085804612234930322011-02-24T21:12:00.000-08:002011-05-23T21:21:35.838-07:00

I made a really fun scavenger hunt for the kids to do with our mom's club (send me your email and I will send you a copy). I went to the lake while the kids were in school, and hid juice boxes, and various snacks along the way (and hoped that no critters would find them before we got there!). The kids had to follow the hunt in the order it was laid out, and find one object at each pictured

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-62020212803433109082011-02-23T21:03:00.000-08:002011-05-23T21:12:17.752-07:00

Sometimes I feel like Maya and Ricky should have their own TV show. If only there were an invisible camera that could follow them around.. they are absolutely hilarious in a way that is indescribable. When I try to imitate them or explain to people how funny they are together, I end up laughing and laughing at the images of the two of them and the other person just stares at me and wonders why it

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-21222628726125392962011-02-19T20:56:00.000-08:002011-05-23T21:03:07.938-07:00

Our lemonade stand, and Ricky's haircut when papi takes him by himself:)---Today we had our garage sale! There were 6-7 moms that participated, and we each made a couple hundred bucks- not bad! I think the key is to over-advertise on craigslist. We not only listed the garage sale, but individually listed many of the bigger items (car seats, treadmill, strollers, TVs, etc). The kids sold

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-89528595171410321272011-02-18T20:46:00.000-08:002011-05-23T20:56:01.919-07:00

Ricky loooooves playing in the mud! Oops, I mean gardening! Today was a work work work day.Despite testing positive for the flu, Vivi was a huge helper in planting our garden, and in getting ready for the garage sale! Maya and Ricky were trying to be big helpers, but it will be funny to see how the seeds come up- crossover rows, renegade salad leaves, and surely some bare spots. We planted tomato

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-50398047346173178722011-02-16T20:14:00.000-08:002011-05-23T20:26:22.492-07:00

My beautiful baby Ricky has been home for SIX MONTHS already!!! I can't believe how fast time has flown by, how fast he has adapted to our family, and how much it seems like he has been here forever. Here are 2 recent funnies involving Ricky---Overheard from Maya to Ricky:"Sit here. You're gonna be my turtle and I'm gonna milk you." (I peeked in and saw Ricky dutifully sitting on a spread out

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-58428863895324074572011-02-14T20:38:00.000-08:002011-05-23T20:45:55.928-07:00

I am the luckiest mama in the world:). Today I got to celebrate Valentine's Day with my 4 beautiful kids at a red and pink Valentine's Day party at their school! Here is Tonito with his buddies:and Vivi with her girlies:Me with my two beauties:and my 2 handsome boys:Happy Valentine's Day to my best friend, who (despite not enjoying running) ran not only 1, but TWO marathons with me:)... my best

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-84205094497242967782011-02-12T20:26:00.000-08:002011-05-23T20:37:32.228-07:00

We started the day with a huge Chinese New Year celebration at the consulate, arranged by the local FCC group. The craziest coincidence was the one of Vivi's friends from school was one of the Chinese dancers performing for the families! Her family is from China (she is not adopted) and she belongs to this dance group from Chinatown. We were both surprised to see each other there! The food was

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-75383168380161040702011-02-08T20:02:00.000-08:002011-05-23T20:13:24.342-07:00

the "threat" of snow means cancelled school. So last Friday there was a *possibility* of snow (a chance of snow) and they cancelled school. Now we get an email saying that we have to go to school on President's Day to make up the day. WHAT!?!?!? Seriously. Not that we would have been celebrating our federal leaders, but I did plan a fun day with our playgroup. I know it's not the end of the world

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-36992060123425291522011-02-07T19:53:00.000-08:002011-05-23T20:02:37.010-07:00

Some yummy Ethiopian food!!!! We made the cabbage/carrots/potato dish, the green bean/carrots dish, and some shiro (from shiro flour I brought home from ET) and then I had some mild sheep feta that I gave the kids as well. The girls could eat their weight in injera (and fortunately when I sent Tonio to buy the injera he bought enough to satisfy the whole family:). The boys love everything- Ricky

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-6647885205010612932011-02-06T19:37:00.000-08:002011-05-23T19:53:44.469-07:00

If there is one sport that all of my kids like, it is soccer (aka futbol). They love running around, chasing that black and white ball, and finally screaming "gooooooooooooooooooooooool" when they make it in the net. Of course we would be happy with any activity our kids choose-- but for now I'm thinking that as an international family, soccer is very appropriate. Now all we need are some Mexican

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-39234802054191313542011-02-05T19:58:00.000-08:002011-05-21T20:55:43.755-07:00

* Scroll down--- mid-post there's a video of the lemur:).Today we celebrated Vivi's birthday in the most spectacular way- an animal birthday party, screeching kindergartners, and a ring-tailed lemur as the star guest. We started with an obstacle course and some "animal" races. Vivi did not know that we were bringing real animals, and she thought the whole party would be these animal games (

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-11742871974167559612011-02-04T18:58:00.000-08:002011-05-19T19:58:04.676-07:00

A couple of months ago, I asked Vivi what kind of birthday she wanted. It didn't surprise me that she asked for a "lemur" birthday (her favorite animal). I asked her if we could make it a little more general... sort-of an animal birthday party that had some lemur aspects. Vivi thinks we invited a bunch of her friends over, and that we will play some animal games, and pretend we are lemurs (her

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-37592936642112998752011-02-01T18:34:00.000-08:002011-05-11T06:48:45.193-07:00

I repeated almost the same activities for Chinese New Year with the kindergarten classes. I read 2 different books about Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin, and Dragon Dance by Joan Holub. It would have been better had I found a super-large book, so that the 70 kids could see better, but I think the props helped to keep their interest. About 5 other Chinese moms brought in a lot of other props

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-25589039261122837322011-01-30T20:22:00.000-08:002011-05-10T20:46:40.623-07:00

I think there is such a tight bond between brothers and sisters and I wish I could capture their silly moments.. and their lovey moments. The boys and the girls have these special relationships, with secrets and giggles and squeezes. Now don't let these pictures fool you into thinking it's all roses and rainbows- these angelic smiles also wrestle, fight over toys, and say mean things to each

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-50702435247545853762011-01-29T19:48:00.000-08:002011-05-10T20:12:16.676-07:00

For our Chinese feast, we had dumplings (crescent-shaped Jiaozi are a symbol of wealth and prosperity because they resemble ancient Chinese money), a mushroom dish, fried rice, and baby bok choy. For dessert we made a rice cake...In getting ready for CNY, I got out some books from the library. One of them we read was this book: The Runaway Rice Cake" by Ying Chang Compestine. Then we followed

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-86302873214290131742011-01-28T19:15:00.000-08:002011-05-10T20:21:33.671-07:00

As we were getting ready to celebrate Chinese New Year at preschool, Ricky goes "When is Africa? I Africa, no China." hahahahaha. Don't worry, Ricky- we'll get more involved in Ethiopian events this year... Anyway!Xin nian kaui le! (Happy New Year!) We first read a book by Karen Katz called "My First Chinese New Year." Before reading it, I handed out props for the kids to hold. When we reached

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-66234138828679722622011-01-24T18:21:00.000-08:002011-05-03T20:15:43.347-07:00

Here are the books that we read this month about China. If you only read one, read Ruby's Wish- it made me cry and is based on the author's grandma. Another of the kids' favorites was the Project Panda book (of course, they love that series).body, div, table, thead, tbody, tfoot, tr, th, td, p { font-family: "Arial"; font-size: x-small; } body, div, table, thead, tbody, tfoot, tr,

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-21213378491772042262011-01-20T20:49:00.000-08:002011-05-01T20:58:23.167-07:00

Tonio and I decided for 2011 that we would choose a different country every month and I would teach the kid about it- read some books, make a little food, maybe watch a movie from that country, learn about important people, the land, art, or something important about the country. So here is our big list: (please give me any suggestions!)January- ChinaFebruary- South AfricaMarch- SpainApril-

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-7053397159208944842011-01-19T20:35:00.000-08:002011-05-01T20:46:15.787-07:00

My idea of 4" and the stylist's idea of 4" were miles apart. When Vivi saw my hair she cried and said now I don't have her hair, I have Maya's hair (which absolutely thrills Maya!). She was also worried "If I get lost, I won't be able to find you because you look so different." It's just that curls scrunch up the shorter they are.

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-90206147573889827562011-01-18T20:33:00.000-08:002011-05-01T20:35:20.481-07:00

Last week we saw a white Catholic male Republican judge murdered on his way to greet a Democratic Jewish woman member of Congress, who was his friend. Her life was saved initially by a 20-year-old Mexican-American gay college student, and eventually by a Korean American combat surgeon, and this all was eulogized by our African American President." ~ Mark Shields, PBS

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-53595765072166841022011-01-17T20:24:00.000-08:002011-05-01T20:33:18.445-07:00

I am so sore from the marathon, as usual, but life with 4 little kids goes on! When the kids came home from school I tried to have them play downstairs by me doing puzzles- it lasted about 15 minutes (they are too fast! we need new puzzles!!). I let them go upstairs and they screamed and wrestled and who knows what else upstairs for almost 2 hours. I was way too sore to walk upstairs- and

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-22257852269913609002011-01-16T20:07:00.000-08:002011-05-01T20:24:15.459-07:00

No pictures, but plenty of sore muscles:). We woke up before dawn to get to the start line, only to have the race delayed by 45 minutes because of rain (which made the dark night even darker). The race was long and slow, with really heavy winds, and hard rain the 2nd half. The first half we ran really well, 10 minute miles, no walking, barely any water/bathroom breaks- I felt great. As we were

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-20287067788896135552011-01-14T19:59:00.000-08:002011-05-01T20:06:59.745-07:00

We hosted Flat Stanley for our cousins, and the kids had so much fun "showing" him around: we walked by the bayou, went to the Science Museum, and had a sleepover with s'mores. They even played soccer by the moonlight with my shrieking and squealing and happy kiddos with their papi.

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-88006413902125332802011-01-12T19:50:00.000-08:002011-05-01T19:58:58.660-07:00

Me: You guys have to clean this stuff up before dinner!Maya: Mommy, you're a mean guy like Rapunzel's mommy!:)Vivi: "Tonito dropped his tiger in the toilet, but don't worry, we dried it with the towel" (said as he is hugging his damp tiger)

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-6744471749798310412011-01-10T20:34:00.000-08:002011-05-01T19:50:30.850-07:00

Coming back from the long trip, we got right back into the daily grind, except with several suitcases of dirty laundry. I started to read the kids' very first chapter book: "Little House in the Big Woods." In the first chapter, Laura hears wolves that "eat little girls," Pa shoots at a bear trying to steal their pig, and Pa kills a deer and they all eat venison. Let's just say from her reaction

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-46322018053688423842011-01-01T20:00:00.000-08:002011-04-30T20:34:30.347-07:00

For brunch, my mom and dad came over and brought the kids so we could play one last time. My girls have so much fun with their cousin- Vivi is extremely nurturing and wants to do anything to help Maevey. Maya is adoring as well- but fortunately doesn't smother as much as she smothers Ricky:).After New Year's brunch, we rushed back home to pack up the car: Christmas presents, clothes and suitcases

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-57902979630090787872010-12-31T23:59:00.000-08:002011-04-30T20:00:35.060-07:00

New Year's Eve- and we have babysitters!:) We have a tradition in our family of cooking together, so for New Year's we decided to make tamales. The carnivores made shredded chicken with green salsa, and the veggies made sweet potato and apple tamales. We try to get the kids as involved as possible- because it's fun, but because they'll eat whatever we make:).After our tamale factory, Tonio and I

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-60226582208003642632010-12-30T20:57:00.000-08:002011-04-28T13:45:08.344-07:00

We were all so excited to be invited to Tia Anita's house for a sleepover!!! Sam and Nate, with their new batman and Robin costumes, inspired me to look for more boy dress-up clothes for our house. We are set with the princess dresses, feather boas, tutus, jewelry, etc, etc, but we could use some boy costumes!Tonito loves his cousins so much- I feel fortunate that Annie and I are so close, and

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-38091360845117409632010-12-28T13:28:00.000-08:002011-04-24T13:49:10.323-07:00

My kids get extremely excited whenever we mention a "Museo de Niños." Sensory overload, stimulating the 5 senses (well, not taste except for Miss Maevey who still puts things in her mouth:).Building, playing with wind, bubbles, water:Discovering how things feel, how different devices work, and how materials react to different forces:You watch the little kids and can almost hear the little gears

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-65951558991909815832010-12-27T13:12:00.000-08:002011-04-24T13:28:42.332-07:00

So after a week of being sick with bronchitis and a sinus infection, while not sleeping well and eating more than my fair share of Christmas cookies-- Tonio and I ran our longest run we would do before the marathon- the 20 miler. Just to make it more difficult, it was *freezing* cold. The kind that rips through your clothes and literally chills your bones.When we signed up for the marathon in

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-76283712323496680022010-12-26T12:22:00.000-08:002011-04-24T13:12:18.640-07:00

The day started- where else?- in the snow! Our igloo is holding up well in the arctic temperatures- even with kids and dogs jumping on top of it.In the late afternoon/evening we headed to our big Christmas party. At first, Ricky was overwhelmed with the LOUD voices, the many faces and kisses, the kids running around in crazy costumes. But as soon as he found a Teenage Mutant Ninja turtle suit and

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-13538630036927262362010-12-25T20:47:00.000-08:002011-04-23T21:25:14.456-07:00

The night before Christmas, Vivi told us to write in the letter to Santa that all she wanted for Christmas was a Nutcracker. Santa had a hard time trying to fill that last minute order, but he came through! The kids were so, so excited and could barely fall asleep- plus they were having a huge sleepover with Tia Mimi and Tia Didi. Tonio and I were so excited that we actually woke up before the

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-57300712257973531832010-12-24T20:20:00.000-08:002011-04-23T20:46:47.916-07:00

This post is out of order- the dinner is first, and the morning sledding is last:). The kids sledded all morning with Grandpa and Tonio- they had so much fun and were so exhausted from running up the hill!! Then after the sledding we had our "traditional" dinner- we always have a dinner of appetizers (and since we were kids we have called them "goodies"). After the dinner, we wrote a letter to

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-5679662267528156022010-12-22T20:12:00.000-08:002011-04-23T20:20:31.460-07:00

One of my favorite things about living in Chicago was all of my different groups of friends- my college friends, my high school friends, my friends from work, etc. The best part about friends from my past is that as soon as we're together it's as if I haven't left- we just catch up and chat and the kids run wild. Fortunately for facebook it is even easier to keep in touch!:)

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-13053655348771587842010-12-21T19:43:00.000-08:002011-04-23T20:12:20.177-07:00

Snow, beautiful white snow, cold and wet snow, ready for fort-building, rosy cheeking, boots stamping, igloo icing, snowball throwing, cave tunneling, bundling up and fog breathing, hot chocolate calling, mitten freezing, eyelash glistening, branch coating, icicle making, perfect packing snow.The best part about wet snow is that it is perfect for packing- we made the best igloo, with a long

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-87314827106418321032010-12-20T18:14:00.000-08:002011-03-09T06:52:30.537-08:00

Ricky and godmother: Tia MimiWe celebrated Ricky's baptism at the same church where we got married 10 years ago. It was an intimate service with our family, and afterward we had a great welcoming party for all of my relatives and friends to meet "Ricardo Engida." Ricky must have known something special was happening because he was quite the angelic little boy!Here is the prayer we wrote for this

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-24999278058770248112010-12-19T22:58:00.000-08:002011-03-09T06:14:17.247-08:00

Ever since Vivi was born on my birthday, and we converted it to her birthday, I don't get a year older- isn't that cool how that works?:)We celebrated both of our cumpleaños with chocolate cake, but Vivi's special eggless cake was topped with cute little pictures of lemurs! It was so, so good to be with family on our special day.Vivi's favorite gifts were her new red-ruffed lemur stuffed animal (

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-48652313801371140092010-12-17T19:40:00.000-08:002011-02-26T20:33:53.501-08:00

When Ricky first saw snow falling (on the drive up), he said "esta lloviendo?" (=is it raining?). Once we were playing in it, he kept saying "frio mami... frio!" The kids loved everything about it- licking the icicles, playing at the park, making snow angels, sliding around..and obviously lots of hot chocolate after..Inside grandma's basement there are endless toys, puzzles, and books- seriously,

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-47372819323806833962010-12-16T20:29:00.000-08:002011-02-25T20:03:22.596-08:00

Vivi had been asking for *months* to bake cookies, and we have definitely been filling her culinary needs.Gingerbread and sugar cookies are the most fun to decorate!There is nothing like snow and cookies to put you into the Christmas mood!!! :) Speaking of Christmas, Maya is so excited that everyone puts fairies on the tops of the Christmas trees- every time we see another one she shrieks "

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-6929633615007426392010-12-13T20:08:00.000-08:002011-02-09T20:29:11.900-08:00

The kids were obviously so excited to get out of the car and enjoy Grandma, Grandpa, aunts, uncles, and cousins!:) I don't know if other kids do the same, but when mine haven't had a chance to really play in a while, they get into their toys so much- heavy, concentrated, imaginative PLAY. It's adorable to watch them get so into it. Here they are rediscovering Grandma's legos, puzzles, books,

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-5168996949883758422010-12-13T05:27:00.000-08:002011-02-09T20:07:42.286-08:00

On the road again.... didn't we just drive this!?!? 12 mittens and snow boots, 11 DVDs, 10 books and crayons, 9 healthy snacks, 8 bags of presents, 7 winter jackets, 6 crowded people, 5 Christmas books, 4 car seats and kids, 3 sets of dress-up clothes, 2 hairy dogs, and one big happy family (in a minivan with no roof rack...).Day 1 was fine, day 2 was horrible! The whole state of IL was icy,

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-82605522309774536842010-12-05T16:23:00.000-08:002011-01-24T04:37:59.122-08:00

This weekend, we had a family soccer match girls vs boys- I had no idea we were so competitive! The trash talk started in the morning when the kids learned the phrase "you're going down!" and repeated it over and over and over (and over) while jeering and laughing at each other. We made up victory dances, secret handshakes, team names, and went to the field after breakfast. The little kids

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-48813919001708025032010-12-03T23:38:00.000-08:002011-01-24T04:42:14.796-08:00

After our whirlwind trip, we had a couple of weeks of Christmas-prep. We had presents to buy and wrap, cookies to make, a Santa visit, and Breakfast in Bethlehem. I was a little stressed out to say the least, because I had 2 weeks to unpack, wash clothes, and then repack- for a 3 week trip to Chicago that included surgery for Tonito, Ricky's baptism, and multiple Christmas parties.... plus all of

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-24383304387686542502010-11-28T19:31:00.000-08:002011-01-18T11:29:09.126-08:00

I picked up the kids on Friday afternoon, in the minivan laden with suitcases, car seats, dogs, and a snowblower tied to the roof (to sell on craigslist in Chicago) and started on to Little Rock. Tonio had been at a conference in Chicago for the past couple of days and the earliest trip back to Houston wasn't until evening. I didn't want to waste the afternoon and not drive, so I suggested

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-73878633189132181762010-11-12T20:35:00.000-08:002011-01-06T20:19:36.734-08:00

A box of toothpicks + a bag of mini-marshmallows= a telescope, a car, a person, a tower, a bug house, a snake, an ant, a pearl necklace... and of course a huge marshmallow fight!! I wonder what Ricky was thinking as he stuck the "sticks" into "sticky white things." He definitely liked to eat them though!Maya's love still smothers a bit sometimes:)- today I heard Vivi say "Maya he can't breathe!"

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-30675203996947978102010-11-08T17:55:00.000-08:002011-01-06T12:34:22.155-08:00

Since we won't put Ricky in school until next year, I am trying to build his vocabulary and curiosity a bit at home. His language is coming along really well and quicker than I expected- he can have a basic conversation in English and Spanish, knows his numbers, body parts, some animals, and can sing ABCs in both languages. We're working on "dramatic play-" and lucky for him his 3 older siblings

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-39977456128042643932010-11-01T19:23:00.000-07:002011-01-06T11:54:27.513-08:00

Celebrating the 50th day of school with a 50's party! Check out my cool dude greaser and my pink hula-hooping dolly!They had hod-rod races:Root-beer floats and races to balance the 50's style drive-up trays of hamburgers and milkshakes:Who doesn't love parties in school with all your friends?

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-46412372600220450492010-10-31T21:45:00.000-07:002011-01-05T19:22:55.399-08:00

We had a neighborhood Halloween party! It was so much fun- running crazy in the green beltSome of the boys looking "scary":Kindergarten girls looking pretty:And Ricky the shark, borrowing an Afro wig:The party was fun with the kids running all over the culdesac and green belt, boys chasing the girls, girls shrieking (how do they learn this!?) and running away. There was a never-ending food buffet

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-26330346769664165042010-10-30T22:05:00.000-07:002010-12-21T13:45:30.869-08:00

Happy Halloween from lemur, shark, dragon, and bunny!The ring-tailed lemur costume was made by grandma, I bought the bunny used, the dragon was given to us by my cousins and we are borrowing the shark from dear Ashlea. The Mom's group I am in planned a Halloween party for the kids with lots of games, some crafts, a pinata, costume parade, and of course good food! You can see Tonito

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-48816259999809135332010-10-29T20:45:00.000-07:002010-12-21T13:05:25.312-08:00

Halloween party #1: with our playgroup. Ricky was really confused and didn't know why I wanted to put this weird thing over his head. Once Maya got dressed up though, he wanted it back on. We tried to tell him he was a tiburon, but if you imagine the ridiculousness of it from his point of view....he's probably wondering yet again what this crazy family is up to! I told him that he could "roar"

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-2015855270103427172010-10-28T21:31:00.000-07:002010-12-21T12:40:45.763-08:00

I thought there was nothing cuter than little girls in tutus.... but pumpkins and cats and cupcakes??? This WILL make you smile!!:)

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-86708242703621556152010-10-25T16:50:00.000-07:002010-12-21T05:44:17.208-08:00

Cashier: Are they twins?Me: No.Cashier: But they look the same age- how old are they?Me: They're a month apart.Cashier: Wow, you had them a month apart? Weird.We went to help make applesauce at the big kids' school- Maya and Ricky loved it because the other moms and teachers kept giving them more and more applesauce. My mom used to always volunteer at my school, and it was just normal for me to

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-16740254971455321512010-10-22T17:44:00.000-07:002010-12-21T05:49:56.977-08:00

Tonito had 2 performances this weekend! He performed kung-fu at the Dragon Boat Races, and then at the International Festival. It was so awesome- he wasn't shy at all, and his kung-fu has really improved since he started less than a year ago. I admit it was hard to take all 4 kids there by myself, with the crowds and excitement- so much stimulation for the little ones.. trying to get everyone to

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-33042952420023039952010-10-18T18:37:00.000-07:002010-12-08T19:00:07.949-08:00

This might be my favorite all-time quote from one of my kids:Maya had Ricky pinned down (sitting on top of him) in the trampoline and was yelling "Do you like leche fria or caliente!???"Here's the "innocent" little angel who loves to squeeze Ricky until he cannot breathe:(sorting/graphing Fruit Loops)****Another funny:Vivi: "They don't give you pepperoni at the pepperoni."Me: "For what?"Vivi: "At

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-65044096373548408582010-10-17T23:18:00.000-07:002010-12-08T18:07:45.217-08:00

This is why I love Tonio. One day he sat me down and said "I am so sorry, I have to tell you something...." (I began to prepare for the worse and grabbed the edge of the table)... "I have to go for 2 weeks to South Africa for work, and they're taking me on a safari." He knew I would be green with envy (which I was) and he felt bad that we wouldn't be able to share the experience together.

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-12381082248679910572010-10-03T18:51:00.000-07:002010-12-06T19:06:46.721-08:00

Playing with play-dough and jumping on the trampoline is fun.... but playing in the water while papi empties out half of the pool is way more fun! Ricky has always loved water and thought this was the best day ever. I wonder what his little mind is thinking?? "Why are these people dumping water in the street?... Why were they hitting each other with blue pool noddles yesterday?... This family is

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-38039176732113383662010-10-02T21:13:00.000-07:002010-12-06T18:51:30.954-08:00

Tonito recently decided that Star Wars is cool-- we won't let him watch the movie *yet*, but the books from the library, the kids at school, and maybe just his "boy genes" have him loving the idea of light sabers, Jedis, and droids. We didn't have his birthday party right at the beginning of school because he didn't really know any of the kids (um... and we just got back from Ethiopia!). This was

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-15777236202871671702010-09-26T21:09:00.000-07:002010-12-03T21:36:08.552-08:00

We heard from the ET adoption group that the ET Orthodox Church was going to have a special celebration and bonfire for the Ethiopian New Year, but when we got to the church it was empty (we later found out someone had misprinted the date). We had all dressed up in our beautiful, traditional Ethiopian clothes and decided we better at least take some pictures if we couldn't go to the ceremony.

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-89868920668415833822010-09-26T20:15:00.000-07:002010-12-03T21:09:05.971-08:00

We didn't know how Ricky would react to all of the animals we would see at the zoo, so we had an exit strategy in place and were prepared to only spend a short time if we needed to ease his nervousness. Contrary to our preconceptions- and to our delight!- Ricky LOVED the animals! (collective sigh of relief- phew!) Maybe it was the obvious cages, glass walls, and barriers separating him and the

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-5264356042102188982010-09-24T21:46:00.000-07:002010-11-18T07:52:42.926-08:00

Sometimes after jumping in the trampoline for an hour, you really need a popsicle! Ricky wasn't sure at first about the coldness, and ended up throwing it away. He also doesn't love sweet things- he prefers soft, spongy bread, pasta or overcooked veggies. But we have made progress- I used to nuke the baby carrots in water for 3 minutes or so, but we are down to only 30 seconds (really almost raw)

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-80613944067467415212010-09-21T22:30:00.000-07:002010-11-18T07:46:08.122-08:00

This is how Maya loves to spend her day- squeezing Ricky and saying I love you, (um, or bossing him around). I didn't put the pictures of him crying, but you can imagine how this love session usually ends as the squeezing gets tighter and tighter until they fall down. The other day I heard Vivi saying (from the other room) "he can't breathe when you do that" and I ran in to see Maya hugging him

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-73939100779738658642010-09-19T20:00:00.000-07:002010-11-17T13:03:46.370-08:00

We've been home about a month! Here's a little video of Ricky talking- he has learned so much!

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-676416703842907022010-09-18T22:51:00.000-07:002010-11-17T13:00:13.519-08:00

"Mommy, do dreams really come true?" (after we read a bunch of Disney princess books). I said "Well, most dreams can come true if you work hard..." Vivi: "Oh good. My dream is to be a lemur."*That was last week. This week, Vivi is having second thoughts. She is going to be "Tiger of the Day" next week (for school) and she has to tell her favorite animal, and she told me she might just say

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-12521310141578485952010-09-13T21:06:00.000-07:002010-11-17T12:51:54.404-08:00

We had a wonderful time with our friends at a birthday party (yet another!) and Ricky broke his first-of many- piñata! He was a little confused about why we were taking turns to hit the cute figure, but once the candy rained down and the pile of kids descended, he happily joined in.Here's Vivi, my little chef. She begs to help me in the kitchen and I always try to find her jobs that don't involve

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-87166818801608260332010-09-10T16:54:00.000-07:002010-11-17T12:05:12.050-08:00

Ricky is learning very quickly what we do for fun in the summer heat!Ricky LOVES water- loves to turn on the faucets and bathtubs and let them gush, loves flushing the toilet and playing with toys in it, loves the sprinklers, the hoses, our pool, puddles- anything with free-flowing water. Obviously his first trip to a splash park was a success!We got his first doctor's appointment out of the way

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-44836729392856772502010-09-09T21:48:00.000-07:002010-11-17T04:53:59.303-08:00

Tonito is 6!!! Happy birthday my big boy!!!!! You are so big- how are you already 6 years old!? We woke up Tonito singing Las Mananitas, and let him rip open his presents before going off to school. Although we won't let him watch Star Wars yet, we've gotten out some books from the library and it must be in his genes to like it.Ricky has only been home a couple of weeks and we've celebrated 2

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-33672373573614375442010-09-07T12:28:00.000-07:002010-11-16T12:48:22.749-08:00

In Ethiopia, and since we've been home, Ricky has been happily sleeping in our bed. We rock him to sleep, or rub his back until he falls asleep- and sometimes repeat this many, many times. There was one night I was extremely frustrated as I went through the process at least 15 times. I would wait until I was sure he was asleep, tiptoe out of the room, and within minutes he would be terrified and

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-52632034972845218642010-08-29T23:33:00.000-07:002010-11-16T12:10:15.520-08:00

I whipped together a princess party for Princess Maya! We invited playgroup over and asked everyone to dress up in their prettiest princess dresses:So cute!!! We played "freeze dance," "pass the purse" (hot potato), decorated goodie bags, had races with a magic wand as the baton (this was the favorite game), played pin-the-princess in the castle, Disney movie trivia and had some fancy snacks and

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-54468119696049916802010-08-28T20:32:00.000-07:002010-11-02T20:42:46.362-07:00

Check out what Maya and Ricky are doing to concentrate- look closely!:) How cute! Also notice that Ricky is using his left hand-- finally one of my children take after me!

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-16960221190012186842010-08-27T19:44:00.000-07:002010-11-02T20:32:49.759-07:00

We celebrated Maya's birthday opening presents in the morning, and having cake in the evening.During the days, with the 2 bigger kids at school, the little ones are having a chance to bond. They are so cute together- they definitely fight and take things constantly from each other, but they also giggle and play silly games and somehow communicate. Now granted they also like to have tantrums at

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-8474842066082974602010-08-25T19:31:00.000-07:002010-11-02T19:44:12.015-07:00

Ricky is a comical little guy who is always trying to make us laugh- I can't wait until we can understand him because sometimes I feel like he has a ticker of jokes that only he knows are funny! We are slowly getting the sleeping under control- a well-rested mama is a happy mama and I really like my sleep. Here is proof of my first successful day getting both the 2 year olds down for a nap

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-4654392768236906542010-08-23T20:30:00.000-07:002010-11-02T19:31:30.935-07:00

I can't believe it. I hate when cliches are so true: "They grow up so fast!" What can I do to slow down time!?!?I put on a very brave face and only shed a couple of tears. Drop-off was a little frantic because of all of the extra bodies helping their kids unload their cargo (ie school supplies) and hang up their backpacks... some parents seemed to be experts at these good-byes, and with quick

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-61655963530419913982010-08-22T04:21:00.000-07:002010-10-29T05:23:53.392-07:00

Things are crazy busy here. We're trying to get ready for kindergarten, getting school supplies, Tonio is leaving his old job and soon will be starting a new job, I just "remembered" that Maya's birthday is coming up and I'm planning a princess party for her little friends from playgroup, my laundry room looks like some suitcases threw up, and the tantrums... well, we all know how fun they are,

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-91647131359180572782010-08-20T12:19:00.000-07:002010-10-29T06:30:22.684-07:00

School is almost starting!!! I can't believe I will have TWO kindergarteners- that is so big. Kindergarten. I think that that is when I start to have school memories. Anyway! We found some time to cook together- this time chocolate covered strawberries (does that count as cooking?) Ricky follows along with whatever everyone else is doing. They empty the dishwasher, he empties the dishwasher.

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-26127608926548353342010-08-17T18:42:00.000-07:002010-10-27T12:19:05.726-07:00

Our first week home was definitely a period of adjustment. Ricky and I are trying to get in the right time zone, and he's been waking up at 3am every morning. Since he is sleeping in our bed, I am also waking up at 3am and desperately trying to keep him quiet so the other kids don't wake up. We have resorted to long walks by the bayou, and playing with sidewalk chalk by the moonlight! Right when

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-16096229239429784012010-08-15T20:49:00.000-07:002010-10-19T20:06:32.234-07:00

We made it home- we're a family of 6!

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-60831287341386422722010-08-13T23:40:00.000-07:002010-10-10T22:45:03.298-07:00

Today was a sad day for obvious reasons. Innocent little Ricky had no idea why everyone was hugging him and saying good-bye: he was his smiley, playful self and loved getting the extra attention. The whole morning we spent with Ben (Binyam- the nephew of the owner of TDS) trying to figure out a problem with our tickets. Basically when I bought the tickets I had them issue Engida's with a certain

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-87829889109742031852010-08-12T23:36:00.000-07:002010-10-07T20:20:05.114-07:00

In the late morning, I was really getting cabin fever. Paula and I decided we would take a little field trip to the Imperial Lion Zoo, where many of the old Imperial lions and their descendents live. It was built in 1948 by Emperor Haile Selassie and currently has 16 adult lions and five cubs. The small concrete cages are quite sad and if you are an animal lover, I wouldn't recommend going there.

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-31720404645856295772010-08-12T20:29:00.000-07:002010-10-01T05:34:07.305-07:00

This morning after breakfast the housekeepers grabbed Lemat and braided her hair in our room. She was so good, sitting there quietly on the stairs and looking in the mirror for a good 45 minutes while they twisted and braided and worked their magic. She is so beautiful, and I think her hairstyle highlights her gorgeous eyes. The kids were just goofing around today, laughing hysterically with

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-52709215935215257722010-08-11T19:31:00.000-07:002010-09-30T04:28:51.083-07:00

When I travel and spend time in other countries, my favorite "souvenir" is to learn how to cook dishes that remind me of my trip. I am always asking people what their favorite food is and how they cook it, from taxi drivers, to people I randomly meet at museums, to waitresses. There is a very sweet woman named Zufan, who works at TDS as a cook. After talking with her, we found out the she has

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-14297765820572363522010-08-10T18:52:00.000-07:002010-09-28T19:31:29.420-07:00

Last night Engida slept 13 hours straight- poor little guy was tired from all of the stress I think! Plus our long walk to the park:). Not much progress on the food issues, BUT more importantly: he loves my hugs and kisses!!! After breakfast, we headed up to the roof to play. The roof 2 stories up, with the wrought iron railing. The railing whose spindles are spread about 12 inches apart.. which

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-14466791449865749892010-08-09T19:36:00.000-07:002010-09-28T06:07:56.895-07:00

Engida's best buddy is the sweet security guard at TDS, who has a son almost Engida's age. Engida escaped from playing several times to run our with his friend, who instinctively picked him up, threw him, swung him, hugged him, and rough-housed with him while Engida would melt into giggles. I'll admit I was a little jealous that my playing didn't elicit the same reaction- but I think it was a

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-60290197984379370592010-08-08T21:26:00.000-07:002010-09-27T19:30:43.888-07:00

We started off the day giddy with excitement, which was stifled a bit when we filled out US Embassy paperwork after breakfast. It was a little like a skit on Saturday Night Live with us asking Ato Teklu if we should write xxx in the blank, he would kind-of nod and we'd all write xxx. Then he'd read it back and it would be wrong and we'd have to erase or start over (repeat, repeat, repeat).

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-35706155118427769002010-08-07T22:19:00.000-07:002010-09-23T20:16:37.374-07:00

The families that use WACAP generally stay at the TDS Guesthouse or the TDS Hotel (really just a block away from each other). It is literally 5-10 minutes down the road from Bole Int'l Airport and Cameroon Street (where the hotel is) is filled with cafes, restaurants, shops, supermarkets, and lots of taxis. It is a convenient neighborhood that is also safe enough for me to walk around by myself

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-27962882204776603842010-08-06T20:46:00.000-07:002010-09-22T22:11:29.552-07:00

Several of the families in Addis left this morning early to go to Ajuuja (WACAP's orphanage in Awassa where we first met Engida). One couple and I stayed behind and went to play again with our kids at the transition house. Here are the roads leading to our kids:When we first got there, the adoptive father with us began to feel sick. Immediately his wife thought it might be his peanut allergy, and

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-36921207866049281062010-08-05T22:24:00.000-07:002010-09-22T20:16:08.402-07:00

Last night I slept from 10:30 until 9am!!! (with a little help from Tylenol PM, which I highly recommend using to get used to the time change for a night or 2 before your child comes!). We had breakfast at TDS, and then headed off to the WACAP transitional house to spend more time with our kids! I had a nice long sleep last night and was ready to go with my photo album for Engida, more snacks and

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-36681219538052013542010-08-04T18:47:00.000-07:002010-09-01T20:20:02.312-07:00

I was so excited/anxious/nervous about meeting Engida (oh, and there was a little jet lag) that I woke up at 3am and could never get back to sleep. I read for an hour, did some exercises, walked around the verandas, watched a little TV, and finally at 7am took a shower and went downstairs for breakfast. The adrenaline was making my muscles tremble and I couldn’t stop fiddling with my fingers-

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-20979183918355607572010-08-03T23:22:00.000-07:002010-08-30T20:03:25.750-07:00

Little Manhattan in Dubai (United Arab Emirates)-- Day 1 and 2 (and 3) blur together and seem to last longer than 24 hours. I boarded the plane at Houston, excited to start my trip, and more than 2 hours (and almost 2 movies) later I was still sitting in the plane, at the gate, while the mechanics fixed the air conditioning. We finally got in the air and I continued to watch movies and read until

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-29649834050874068112010-07-28T20:14:00.000-07:002010-08-29T20:42:43.389-07:00

Summer=swimming in the pool!!! We have had lots of playdates and playgroups in the pool, but even if it's just our family the kids love playing in the water until they are tan little raisins. I am amazed at the difference a couple of months can make! At the beginning of the summer, I would have to push Tonito down so he could "dive" and pick up toys at the bottom- now he looks like one of those

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-52172440853776818812010-07-16T20:42:00.000-07:002010-08-29T20:51:00.444-07:00

My Mom's Club had an enormous surprise for me- we were supposed to be meeting with kids at Whole Foods for breakfast. After I order some munchies for the kids, I walked over and saw all of my friends there! Normally we do not have such a large turnout, and I was so impressed that so many families had woken up so early. And then I saw the table filled with presents- it was a "baby" shower for

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053522371961391057.post-81919353453986276572010-07-16T20:19:00.000-07:002010-08-28T17:49:55.911-07:00

July was a hot and sticky month, and we spent most of it in one pool or another. The big kids had swim team practice every morning, and then a swim meet or two every week. They turned out to be little fish! At the end of the year party, they each got a trophy and Vivi got the "most improved" award for her age group! Her and Tonito both had cut about a minute from their first time until the last

Vive...rie...amahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689677555426341628noreply@blogger.com0