Bienvenidos Summer!

Once the flu bug left us, we naturally caught the next best thing - the vacation bug. And when a "last-minute" deal popped up in my email on Tuesday, we were packed and ready to go by Friday to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for the weekend. Yes. All 4 of us!



Ava and Noah were so excited to board a plane together for the first time. They held their own passports and tickets - and looked like pros. As they stepped across the threshold of AeroMexico, the flight attendant greeted them and asked if they wanted to see the pilots. They did, and Ava, amazed by all the buttons, half-waved a hello - and later declared that she wanted to be a pilot so she could "fly Mommy." [Smile] The airline accomodated our family perfectly - between the 4 us, we had 6 seats to spread out into...

To color...



Take a nap...



a really long one...



And even enjoy some alone time looking cool while surfing through their backpacks stocked with personalized treats [notepad, color pencils, crayons, stickers, etch n' sketch, playing cards, small cars, trains, cookies, apple juice boxes]...



After settling into our room at the all-inclusive Marival resort, we got branded with our bracelets and headed downstairs to the pool for a night swim. It was everything you'd expect from an all-inclusive resort - a modern lobby with open ocean views greeting you, non-English speaking employees challenging you with your high school Spanish, and buffets with too many mysterious choices. By morning, we woke up to a completely different view - mountains in the distance... embraced by clouds and a stretch of city life drawn along the ocean's curve. With suits on and pails swinging in our hands, we dashed to the beach to welcome summer '09!



And this is how much of the weekend was spent, on the beach or in the pool, we enjoyed the whirlwind of faces and languages all around us. Noah, who stood out like a gem with his blue eyes, received a lot of attention. And big sister Ava, doning her Grandpa's cap, held his hand everywhere we went to keep him from going astray.





Mornings were cloudy, which we preferred instead of the summer's heat that followed us from Texas by noontime. We dined at their restaurants each night, thanks to advance reservations Aaron made before we arrived, and the mediterranean cuisine at the Amalfi was our favorite. Even Noah's, who zoomed towards the tiramasu...



The kids both got a kick out of the palm trees - singing Chicka Chicka Boom Boom! Here, both of them huddle underneath one, as the clouds began to tremble and then sprinkle some welcoming rain...



Day 3 - instructions were simple: repeat day 2. Only this time, it was also Father's Day! We ordered room service, watched Spanish cartoons, walked on the beach looking for sea shells, and ate divinely.





Our photoshoot on the beach ran short, as the nightfall came faster than I could get the kids to stand still...[mental note - start early!] We were scheduled to depart on Monday - but as to no suprise to any of us, AeroMexico broke down before arriving to PV. After amusing the kids for 5 hours in the airport, we were bused back to our hotel for another night. We were upgraded to a family suite - and of course, none of us wanted to leave this time...



Visiting Mexico and the beach gave the kids many unique moments to pause and enjoy - like the rushing sounds of waves or the discovery of jelly fish and crabs washed up along the shore - a definite change from their routine backyard pool time at home. And as expected, Aaron and I learned a lot about traveling with our kids - which we have been looking forward to do for many years... Hasta Luego y besos Mexico!



Traveling to Mexico with Toddlers: Our Tips
1. It's a good idea to experience a "trial run" with the kiddos prior to spending a fortune on a trip half way around the world. Look for a last minute deal online - many places offer discounted airfares and hotel stays just for children.

2. Arrive at the airport early to coordinate seating arrangements - it's definitely worth it!

3. Pack a special bag for each child filled with familiar toys - including a new one! Ava and Noah liked carrying their own backpacks, which was very helpful in organizing activities they each enjoy.

4. Be sure to ask customs to stamp your passports upon entering the country. Many won't do it unless you ask. After extensively traveling around the world myself, the pages of my passport are the longest lasting souvenirs I've collected so far.

5. After picking up your luggage - head straight outside. The hotel transfer buses and taxis are all there. We were unfortunately misguided from the terminal by two "salespeople" who told us they were our transfers to the hotel. Once they got our attention, they tried to sell us excursion packages. Same goes for your hotel. Many partner with timeshare developments, and they will try to buy your time with gift certificates. We got one [a massage on the beach] just for complaining about the harrasment.

6. The airports are a bit scary when you are only 3 feet tall. Losing sight of them has happened often, cracking every nerve we've had. To avoid the stress of the experience, plan ahead by delegating who will watch the kids while the other handles the traveling protocols. At times, our kids even decided that for us, when one or both wanted "Mommy" or "Daddy" at the time...

7. Routines don't avail to much when you are far from home. Leave these and your guilt behind at home. As long as you keep to a "routine" of items [meals, naptimes, playtime, getting ready for bed] it doesn't matter what time it says on your wrist. The importance is having a familiar structure - and both you and your kids will enjoy many adventures traveling offers families.

8. Learn the language before you go - this is no doubt the best age to learn another language. Ava impressed the hotel boutique clerk by reciting 1-15 in Spanish. But we laughed the hardest when Ava cheered at the TV our first night back, "Yeah, it's not in Spanish!"

bye-bye flu... and don't come back!

Sneezing, coughing, congested and achy - and at the mercy of over-priced over-the-counter medicine to bring us back to life, the big, bad, bully flu got to us all. After day 3, Aaron and the kids made it back out into civilization, and I spent the next 8 indoors with clorox and lysol sprays in hand, determined to zap all the bacteria bullying me around. Sure, the extra rest can be nice, but seriously, so is consciousness. After day 11 of the siege, I realized this unexpected detour in my health was more of an awakening of much more... I spent a lot of time thinking about stress, and how like viruses, they hibernate in our bodies and multiply without our knowledge...

Which reminds me of this wonderful book, Bye-Bye Big Bad Bully Bug, written by one of our favorite authors, Ed Emberley, where the little bugs grow fearful of the unfamiliar and then build their confidence as they learn more about the big bug and how their strength lies not in their size, but in their character. It's such a silly but wonderful way to teach kids about bullies and how we don't have to sit back and be eaten alive by our "big problems."

Having this flu was more about my mind and body working together - to get stronger - and "stomp" those "bad bugs" or stressors out.

Taking the time to routinely slow down and reflect on where we are in life may be the best way to maintain good health - but then again... your husband making chicken soup and feeding you in bed isn't so bad once in awhile either...[smile].

we're going on a hunt

It was a long but productive Friday - zipping through work at home while Aaron and the kids went looking for mischief. Sometime mid-morning, I received this email:

"Get in your car and head to Mecca... At least until you get to the tree that bears fruit. Then turn your sights on someplace warmer... like Mexico. Drive to Mexico until you see a house with an orange paw print in their yard. Make a left turn, then an immediate right. Drive until you see the street that bears the name of 9000 cathedrals and turn left. Continue driving 1.34 miles and make a right. Be certain that before you turn, you pass the path that the black bird takes. You will see a place where small people tend to congregate. Park your car and pretend you are one of them. Do what they do. While you are at it... Make some music. If one of the three instruments is making a funny noise, investigate and you *might* find your first clue.

Good luck and God speed. P.s. You will be better served if you bring a small shovel with you for the last step."

And so... when the evening rolled around, we all jumped in the car and went on this year's first scavenger hunt! We had a blast trying it last year, where we discovered Geocaching in our area and found a handful of surprises hidden in different pockets around town. Aaron spent the morning with the kids scouting good places and writing clues all while entertaining the kids with this idea of hiding "something" for mommy...

My first clue took me to a neighborhood park. Make music...hmmm... could be inside these drums here...





Uh-oh. Coordinates! I plugged them into our GPS and found myself arriving here...



And behind this pole, taped inside a ziploc bag, was my 3rd clue:
"Look for the tired tree and see if it has something for you."

Back in the car, with new coordinates, I found myself circling our lake, looking for the "tired tree" and spotting it immediately here [do you see it?]




Wrapped around a tree branch sticking out of this tired tree trunk, was another ziploc bag with the final coordinates and clue: "Look for Ava's chalk and start to dig." By dusk, we arrived at our final destination - hunting for the treasure buried somewhere here....





Ava couldn't remember and my other little guide was already fast asleep in his car seat. The mosquitoes started to swarm on this hour, and I had no choice but to give-in and ask [beg] for another clue....





Slowly, Ava revealed today's treasure hunt prize - unearthed 7 hours later ...





The personalized treasure hunt for "mom" was a nice touch. The gnome has always been a favorite of mine - from concept to novelty - he has always somehow magically appeared [literally] at some of the most striking periods in my life. The first being almost 10 years ago when I arrived at work and found one on my desk from a co-worker who had left her job. [She later went on to travel all around the world].

And then there was Amelie, which inspired Aaron and I to do something similiar on our first roadtrip together to Canada and the north east. We took pictures of a "roaming" album in some of America's iconic locations [Sticking out of a backpack overlooking Niagra Falls... and being held by an Elvis impersonator in Memphis...] which lead to some bizarre and memorable moments...


And in recent years, the roaming gnome has found his way into my life on different occassions - most recent being with my career!



We've been hiding the roaming gnome [in the fridge, upside down over the bathroom sink] and in other silly scenery around the house - just because.

He brings a smile to my face. Maybe it's his cheerful cheek bones radiating happiness or the long white beard fashioning his knowledge and wisdom... or his funny red-coned hat that loudly emphasizes how life shouldn't be taken so seriously....

growing green thumbs

We are whirling into summer and just now stopping to take notice of the changing seasons after a lovely weekend spent in the backyard. A trip to Home Depot with the kids brought out the horticulturalists in all of us as we hand picked our flowers, plants and tree! Ava came home with 9 packets of seeds, of which I later had to explain that we simply didn't have the gardening capacity [nor patience] to grow onions or marigolds. So we compromised on the sunflowers and peppers - and she prepared her green thumb as her and Noah filled their watering cans and waited.... playing between the sandbox and pool...



Once Aaron and I got our gloves on, we realized the backyard was in serious need of revitalization. We trimmed, mowed, chopped, dug, raked, nailed, hung, swept, power-washed, and fainted [technically speaking]. And while we still have a ways to go, it was time well spent as a family together in our backyard, cleaning up and beautifying our outdoor spaces.

What's more, it was deeply comforting watching the kids so comfortable with nature... spotting snails on trees or marching behind ants... running, climbing, and exploring with barefeet and doing everything that makes the city girl in me shriek [literally speaking - especially when a garden snake came face to face with my hand shovel] and yet adire their free spirits to explore and learn about all things - crawling or slithering....



The reward for our laborous day was well received - it rained in time to cool us off, and make the children's playtime outdoors even more fun.

After the rain shower, Ava found her seeds and clutched them at her side with her shovel in hand - repeatedly asking if she could plant them "now?" But unfortunately the garden wasn't ready yet. So with my working gloves still on, I reached to grab Ava and give her a big hug for being so thoughtful - and in her most sincere but whiny voice she said, "Mom. You're getting me all glove-ily."

Our Family Gardening Tips
1. Share your list of chores - like raking and picking up large branches - with the kids. It not only gives them something to do, but also makes them feel important and engaged with what you are focused on doing as well. It's not a race to see how fast you can plant an annual - the idea is to share in the joy of doing so.

2. Children's garden tools come in all shapes and sizes. Stock up on a few and create a small area in the backyard just for them. They'll appreciate their own personal area and boost their confidence as a gardener.

3. Plan ahead. Our purchases were spontaneous on this nursery trip, but I would highly recommend having a good template to work with before you leave home. Count your pots [even note their colors] and where they will end up going to ensure you get a good balance of those vibrant summer colors you're looking for.

4. Start a nature collection - allow them to gather their interesting finds in a bowl to talk about later or even use in an art project...

5. Extend your green thumb beyond your backyard and give back by purchasing a tree for our rainforests. Several sites are available: Rainforest Rescue International, World Wildlife Fund, or Rainforest Foundation.

vrooom.... already 2!

Early to rise, our birthday boy woke up bashful as I sang "happy birthday" to him. We unveiled his gift and he let out a big "wo-----ow" from his multiplying vocabulary - and then zoomed his cars and trains across the tracks until it was time for him to go get his haircut. Planning a special occasion amidst busy schedules was a daunting task - but in a day, we were able to pull it together and call upon family and friends to come help us celebrate...












We struck gold with a carnival theme... making favors out of old fashioned favorites like cotton candy and fun trinkets. We had ice-cream cake and spent the afternoon showering the front lawn with our laughter - playing games, bouncing, running, and swinging at a flying pinata...























As the evening settled in, so did the kids. Humzah, Sophia and Ava headed indoors for bathtime - but not Noah. He refused to go in before the sun fell off the horizon, and instead, rolled on the lawn all by himself, with his new cars gripped under his palms - soaking his day in - and having the time of his life... turning 2!

32 - a magical year

So... I magically turned 32 today. It's not a milestone year - although, its been feeling that way a lot lately. So much has been accomplished in this past year alone - that when I look up at my inspiration board above my desk, I get that funny feeling in my stomach - the good kind anyways.

So much to be thankful for - blessings too long to list but thank God for daily. And in this year where I have become a hermit to all of my friends - I received the most emails and phone messages wishing me a "happy day" - I was literally blown over (thanks guys!).

We retreated over to the Legacy Shopping Center in Plano, dined al fresco at Main St. Bakery where I highly recommend the Opera Bastille pastry!





We took a walk around the pond... and the quick stop to the Legacy Bookstore proved refreshing - Ava and Noah discovered they love chocolate covered sunflower seeds and strawberry-mango smoothies... and I discovered I'm smitten with this privately owned contemporary bookstore... and bought a few things.



In the evening, Aaron and I went out to dinner, and then headed back to celebrate with family for the ceremonial cake. As I looked at my candles - 3 and 2, I realized that divided, they symbolize the age of my kids... a small discovery, that I can claim only once in this lifetime...



Earlier in the day, a treasured email arrived - all the way from Afghanistan, where my father relayed his birthday wishes and love for me and Noah. The note was brief and humbling... as I have never expected my Dad to remember such occassions... We always paraded our birthdays around him without warning - bringing out a cake and seeing his expression, "why didn't anyone tell me?" smile - and then turn to go put something photo-worthy on.

And yet this year, without any warning... he danced in my parade.... and lit the entire sky with fireworks just for me - on his own. 32 - is a magical year indeed... [smile].

carnival comes to town

Ava has been wishing to go to a carnival for months... after watching her animated friends on favorite cartoons like Little Einsteins and Dora the Explorer take in the scenic adventures of rides and fill on sweets like cotton candy, she'd say in one deep sigh, "I wish I could go to a carnival." Mimicking what cartoons do is not something I condone. In fact, the only reason why we DVR her cartoons and keep the tube on PBS is to avoid the very pitfall of having the kids see something on TV they suddenly realize they want. Later she brought up some of the memories we made last year and announced, "Remember when we went on the train? And there was a ferris wheel?" - and on those notes, I set out on a mission to find her a carnival to experience all over again.

I didn't have to search very far - my sister discovered a carnival in town this weekend, and emailed me the details. Aaron and I dropped everything and packed the kids for a ride over to Grapevine - to relive one of her favorite memories of summer...













My favorite moment was watching Ava count out 12 of her coupons to purchase 2 bags of cotton candy and then stopping to watch their cousin Humzah brave the carousel riding Dumbo, while stuffing their faces with clouds of pink and blue...



As parents, we strive every moment of their childhood to be as fun and whimsical - but in reality, and they are beginning to understand this, is that there is a time for everything - even time-outs... which is why moments like these are too precious to let go off.... just like the cotton candy melting in her mouth...