LIttle Things that Made Me Laugh and Smile

Guillermo told me last night that his teacher was going to be gone today and that there would be a substitute teacher. He mentioned a few boys from his class and said they were thinking ... "well, wouldn't it be cool if our substitute teacher was an Army guy!"

Sadly, the substitute wasn't dressed in uniform today, but Guillermo said the day went well anyway.

Maya was angry with me the other day and said this: "You are crazying me down!"

But she also said this: "When you are angry with me, I'm going to give you a paper heart." Now how could I be angry after that?

Camp Out

We finally took our not-so-new tent out last weekend. It works great! Goodbye pup tent! Hello, giant tent.

We went to the annual camp out at the Farm. We went about a year ago with friends and Guillermo, Maya and I crowded into that tiny little tent. This year, Lisa and Charlie joined us and Maya's friend from preschool was there, too. It was really fun. Guillermo and Charlie befriended a group of kids and they took off for the playground and the woods. I took Maya on a hike with her friend and then we all met up for a group marshmallow stick hunt and then to roast marshmallows. While stick hunting, a 6th grader befriended Maya and became her "babysitter" the rest of the night. It was wonderful. Will, Lisa and I just hung out and enjoyed the beautiful evening. This is really the way to camp.

By 10 p.m. the kids were worn out and they fell right to sleep. So did we. After breakfast the next morning, we packed up and headed out of our campsite by 8:30 a.m. We all needed naps.

Guillermo the biker

guillermo is a bicycle rider.

On september 23, 2010 I came home and guillermo was home wanting something to do. As always i suggest riding his bike. He usually says no, and when he says yes it consists of me helping him start and then he rides a few feet, stops, and doesn't want to try it anymore.

9/23/2010 was different, I could feel a breakthrough. I say, "Guillermo let me teach you today how to start the bike on your own. Step on the pedal that is up and push off with your other foot on the ground. When you start push down on the pedal with your other foot and you are good to go."

After a few tries he got it and then he was off. Around and around the "sac" he went. i hopped on my bike and started following him. We immediately played start wars he was red one, i was red two and we blasted the giant mound of mulch in our "sac". Lets try to make it down to the stop sign, now the second one down the street, how about up the hill to max's house, now over to the gazebo. Then he insisted to go his elementary school, done. what a champ.

the next day i suggested he ride a slightly bigger bike since his was a bit small now and probably harder to control. He agreed and away he went. bigger faster bike was way cool. since then we have gone to school twice, and he wants to ride bikes with me everyday. We even did it at night before bed, don't tell his mama.

we went to the store yesterday to get new tires, chain, and a brand new helmet for guillermo.

He is one proud boy.

Sounds on a Sunday Afternoon

Will is napping after a late night last night, I'm supposed to be folding laundry, and the kids are playing, Maya in the living room with her magnetic drawing board and Guillermo in his room, undoubtedly staging a battle, likely with his Bionicles.

Besides the air conditioner (it's supposed to hit 96 this week!) and the washing machine, this is what I hear:

Maya signing the story she is enacting on the drawing board: "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah." "Stop, celebrate, the cannon sounds." "The captain has a problem." "And our instruments worked in our music class."

Guillermo: "rwwwww, fsk fsk. ... There it is. Pshhhhh. Pshhhh." ... "Yaaaa Boom, boom. Hummm, hummm, hummm, Pffsst" ... "Wooahhhh."

It's music to my ears!

I Caught a Fish

"Look at my fish!"

"I caught a fish!"

We ended our summer with a wonderful vacation to Will's uncle's house on a lake in Georgia. The last time we were there, I was pregnant with Guillermo. This time, we had both kids with us and Will's father was there too.

The kids had fun from the start. We parked on one side of the lake and Will's uncle picked us up on his boat to take us to his house. Guillermo and I swam in the lake and Maya played on the dock with Will and Big Papa. The dock itself was incredible. Will's uncle built it himself: boat lifts and built in ice maker and refrigerators. The best part is the 62-inch flat screen tv that folds down from the ceiling. When Guillermo and Maya got tired of playing, they sat on chairs and watched cartoons while we hung out. It really was cool.

The best part was after dinner when Guillermo and Maya went fishing. I don't think Maya has ever been fishing since Will and I have no interest in taking the fish off the line if we would ever catch one. Big Papa helped them, though. Guillermo went first, didn't catch anything. Maya went next and within a few minutes, her line started to pull. Her face lit up. "I caught a fish! I caught a fish! I caught a fish!" She was bouncing around and for the rest of the night she sang "I caught a fish!" Guillermo was up next again, and this time he caught one, too, and he was pretty proud.

The next day we went for a hike, took the boat out, hung out on a little island and swam. Guillermo went for a ride on the four-wheeler with his cousin and uncle and I took him out on the Jet ski. They played horseshoes and bean bag toss (I hate the other name for that game). It was great.

Maya was pretty wimpy on the way home Monday. "I wish we could stay there more days!" We promised her another trip next year.

We're Going on A Trip to the Lake and We're Taking ... Princess Slippers and a Magic Wand?

I'm a little heavy on Maya this week, but this girl is cracking me up.

On the way to school today, she told me this: "I don't want to be a cash register girl when I grow up because then I have to give away all my money. Oh, but people would give me money, too."

Then tonight, I told her to pack for an upcoming road trip to visit family at a lake in Georgia. It's a seven hour trip to so I told her to pack things that will keep her busy in the car. Here is what she came up with: a pair of dress up high heels, a skirt for her leotard, a red and black dress up dress, a magic wand, a crown, a few headbands, a purse, and the game Rush Hour, which has at least ten small cars.

It's going to be some trip.

Maya's First Day of School

Maya started school yesterday and boy was she excited. She now goes five days a week, instead of three, "everyday that Guillermo goes, I get to go, too!." She is now in the Frog class and she is so proud. She didn't have too much to say about school when it was over, just that she had fun. She came out wearing a new necklace and holding a letter that a friend made for her.

This morning, on her second day of school, she woke up at 6:30 and gave me a hug in the living room. Then she asked: "I was noticing that I might be late for school. Am I late?"