Motherhood in Mexico

Housewife Confessions: Grocery Store Romance

2012-01-25T07:00:00.000-06:00

Even after 17 years of marriage, Hubby never fails to deliver chocolate, flowers, and romance on Valentine's Day. He's a romantic with keen attention to the finest of details. It's one of the many things I love about him. But this year, he's going to have to kick it up a notch or two if he wants to impress me, because I have a new Valentine vying for my attention this year.

Now, I know you're all thinking, "But Leslie, you're a married woman!"

I'm not proud of my actions. And it's not like I planned for any of this to happen. It just did.

It all started at the new Bodega Aurrera that opened recently in nearby Nochistlan, Zacatecas. (For those of you not in Mexico, it's like a mini-Walmart.) That's where we first met. I was in the bakery aisle, waiting for Hubby, my suegra (mother-in-law) and the kiddies to decide which freshly baked pastries and doughnuts to buy. I looked away for just a second and that's when I spotted him at the other end of the aisle, looking slightly out of place next to a large display of clearance Christmas items.

I'm not going to lie. My eyes lit up the moment I saw him and couldn't help but smile, even though I knew that his sole purpose for being there was to see how many housewives he could seduce.

I tried to pretend that I hadn't noticed him, even though we were walking straight towards him. As I sauntered past him I caught a whiff of his perfume. Oh, he smelled so good! I closed my eyes as I inhaled his intoxicating aroma, thinking, "So this is what love smells like!"

But still, I resisted his charm.

As we continued to make our way around the store, I kept trying to convince myself that it was useless getting involved. Why risk getting attached, if he's just going to disappear in a few weeks? Where would that leave me? What if he's so good that he ruins me for anyone else, because no one would ever be able to compare to him?

Then, as if the universe knew my hearts desires, "You make me feel like a natural woman" started to play on the overhead speakers. I knew it was a sign. I had been kidding myself thinking that I wasn't looking for something to shake up my ordinary, routine life. So, not caring what anyone thought, I raced across the store to where he was. I couldn't keep my hands off of him as I pulled him into my arms. I wanted more! More! MORE!!!

It was then that Hubby pulled the shopping cart right next to us. He tapped me on the shoulder and whispered, "Honey, the sign says you can only take 4!"

And that my friends, is how I met my Valentine. Limited Edition Valentine's Day fabric softener!

Maybe this is just what I need to put me in the mood to...you know...do laundry.

Or so my hubby hopes.

Making the Grade

2012-01-17T22:30:00.000-06:00

I thought worrying about school and grades was all behind me. It's been almost 20 years since I graduated from Secretary School. And it's been a little over 3 years since I taught in a classroom.

The only grades I have to worry about these days are my kiddies'.

But all that changed the day the kiddies returned to school just two weeks ago.

Hope's math / homeroom teacher, in an effort to get parents more involved in their child's schoolwork, informed us all, long before the kiddies got out for Christmas Vacation, that we (the parents) would also be getting graded.

At first, my reaction was "What the heck? They can't do that! Just how in the heck are they going to grade us? They can't tell me how to raise my child! Mira que tiene cosa...."

But then I got the report cards we have to fill out every two weeks. After reading through them, it became clear to me exactly what the teacher hopes to accomplish. She just wants all of the parents to take an active role in their child's schoolwork and education, which when you think about it, is a fabulous idea. And it's not the teacher or the school that will be doing the grading. We, the parents, will be the ones grading ourselves on the following points:

Check my child's homework and math notebook.
Dedicate 5 to 10 minutes per day going over multiplication tables with my child. Or provide some other way for him/her to study them.
Manage my child's time outside of school.
Assign chores that will help my child learn and appreciate the value of responsibility.
Make sure that my child spent part of his free-time in activities that will help improve his/her reasoning skills (reading, putting together puzzles, playing video games for no more than one hour, watching educational programs on TV, etc)

Pretty easy stuff, right? If we follow through on every one of these points for the 2-week period (that's 10 school days), we score 2 points for each activity. If we only did them for 7 to 9 days, we score 1.5 points per activity. 4 to 6 days scores 1 point per activity. And 0 to 3 days scores 0.5 points.

I turned in my report card this morning and scored a 9.0. Not bad, if I do say so myself. I could have cheated and given myself a 10, but there were days that I forgot to check Hope's notebook or run through her multiplication tables. I know she knows them!

A here lies my biggest problem with this new system. What's to say that some of the parents aren't going to cheat and give themselves a 10? I know I shouldn't worry about this, not that I really am, it's just something my gringa brain thinks about. Will the teacher know who's cheating and who's not? Will she care? And what message does it send to the kiddies if their parents cheat?

Last week, we (all of the parents) had a meeting with Hope's math/homeroom teacher to pick up our child's 2nd bimestre report cards. At the end of the hour-long meeting the teacher reminded us about the homework she assigned to us parents. Half of the moms and the only dad in the room had no idea what the teacher was talking about! The teacher of course, was shocked and a little mad. Which led her to question those parents, "Don't you talk to your kids? Do you ask your child about school? Did you come to our last meeting? Do you even pay attention to what I say in these meetings?"

Once again the teacher clearly explained our daily assignments, and how we are to fill out our report cards at the end of the 2-week period. She then pointed to the parents who had forgotten about the assignments saying, "None of you should have higher than a 5, since you've already skipped the first week!"

Well, this morning when Hubby and I went to turn in our report card, we saw a couple of parents, standing in front of the school, frantically filling out their report cards at the very last minute. Almost everyone gave themselves a straight 10, except for one mom who checked all of the boxes giving herself a much higher score.

Allá ellos. To each his own.

Despite the flaws in the grading system, I think this is a great idea. Parents taking an active role in their child's education is a very good thing, as is having a teacher who cares about their education and the parents involvement. I already know what it feels like when the person that should care about education doesn't. I hope more teachers adopt this unique way of getting parents involved. It really does take a village to raise a child.

I just wish something could be done about the grading system. ;)

Stepping off my soapbox now.

Forgetting my English?

2012-01-10T19:00:00.000-06:00

When people used to ask me if I thought it possible to forget my English, I would shake my head and laugh and just think, "That will NEVER happen to me!"

I mean, why should it?

English was my first language. (I didn't learn to speak Spanish until I was five.) And it was the language I spoke, read and wrote everyday for the 26 years I lived in the U.S.

But then I moved to Mexico.

We lived with my in-law's for the first three years, so the only time I spoke English was when Hubby and/or the kiddies and I were alone. (I was taught to NEVER speak English in front of non-English speakers and vice-versa.) The only time I really got to speak English was during my only trip to the U.S., two years after we moved here.

Then we moved into our current rental home. English was spoken more and more, but still Spanish was our main language. And eight years later, it continues to be. I can carry on complete conversations in English with Hubby and the kiddies, but we always revert to Spanish. I rarely get to speak English with other English speakers. The only time that happens is when my neighbors come to hangout in Hubby's shop or when I run into El Gringo and his daughter downtown. But those instances are few and far between.

I don't really think I'll ever completely forget my English, because I write, read and think in English every day. And I watch TV and movies in English, too. But when it comes to actually speaking to another person? I really need to practice!

Last week, I received a phone call from someone in the States. It was the moment I had been waiting for. A chance to speak English to someone other than Hubby or the kiddies or someone I'm related to. And I froze! I got all tongue-tied. I mumbled and stuttered and I'm pretty sure I spoke with a heavy accent like Sofia Vergara on Modern Family.

Hubby thinks it was a combination of nerves and excitement or maybe even stage-fright. But I'm not so sure. Maybe I really am forgetting my English.

Sundays in my bedroom...

2012-01-09T15:00:00.000-06:00

Warning: This post contains a photo of real people, living a real life. No make-up has been applied and no hair has been brushed. No beds have been made. And no gorgeous table settings a la Martha Stewart have been staged. But...it is one of my favorite moments so far of 2012!

Yesterday morning, Hubby and I awoke to a very pleasant surprise....breakfast in bed! Hope and Nick made breakfast (ham & cheese quesadillas with all the works) for everyone. Hope was the mastermind and chef, and Nick was her pinche (soux chef). Jack and Ashley also lent a helping hand, bringing us our plates and serving us extra coffee and orange juice when needed.

It was hands down the best breakfast I've ever had. And this whole letting the kiddies take over, is something I could get very used to.

I hope it's the beginning of a new family tradition that will hang around all year long!

Best of Motherhood in Mexico 2011

2012-01-02T21:00:00.000-06:00

Before 2012 gets any older, I thought it would be fun to look back at the 10 most visited posts of 2011 here on Motherhood in Mexico.

I'm happy to see that there's a little bit of everything in this list: posts about motherhood, Mi Mexico, personal stories and my silly/genius ideas. But the most popular seem to be the posts about the different foods I've featured in posts like Name That Food. (I'll be sure to include more in 2012!)

So without further ado, here are the....

Top 10 Motherhood in Mexico Posts of 2011:

10. El Dia E

9. My Pink Elephant

8. How Not to Write a Blog Post

7. Good Girls Don't Play Pool

6. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Pitayas

5. The Family Reunion That Wasn't Meant to Be

4. What My Town is Missing

3. Mezquitamal

2. Guamuchiles

1. New Exercise Craze {Cardio-Mop}

Did your favorite make the list?

FIRE!!!

2012-01-01T18:00:00.000-06:00

Our little casita was a real hot spot today as 2012 started in a blaze of glory.

Hubby, the kiddies and I were on our way home from our usual Sunday morning outing to El Jardin, when we noticed a large cloud of white smoke coming from the direction where we were headed. Hubby pointed to it and joked, "Habemus Papam". All kidding aside, we figured it was just someone burning their trash from last night's party. The last thing I remember saying was "well, I just hope it's not our place." We walked as fast as we could to reach the corner of our street to get a better look and that's when we saw that the smoke was coming from the big empty lot behind our house.

From there, we all ran home to make sure the house wasn't in danger of burning down. When we looked out the back window of the house, we saw that more than half of the lot had already burned down. There was smoke and ash everywhere!

This could have turned out to be a tragedy of epic proportions with all the houses on our street that share the same "backyard", especially since my small town doesn't have a fire department. But thanks to the quick response of Proteccion Civil, no homes or lives were lost today. Gracias a Dios.

We waited until the fire was completely out before heading to my suegra's for el recalentado (reheated leftovers).

About an hour or so after we finished lunch, Hubby went outside to see if the smoke and ash had cleared. When he turned to look towards our house, he saw that smoke and flames were coming out from under the big, black door to the empty lot, which just so happens to be right next to our bedroom. Hubby ran home and climbed on top of the roof to douse the flames that were threatening to burn the tree outside my bedroom window. Once again, tragedy was avoided.

My kiddies are now convinced that the world really is coming to an end in 2012. This morning we woke up to a beautiful day with the bluest sky. Then came the fire. And as I am writing this, we are experiencing thunder, lightning and an unseasonable rain storm. And it's only the first day of the New Year.

Since I was raised to believe that how you spend the New Year determines how you will spend the entire year, I predict that 2012 is going to be full of surprises!

This is one New Year's we won't soon forget.

Happy New Year!

The Saddest Day

2011-12-09T23:42:00.001-06:00

I can't sleep. My heart is too heavy, even though it feels like it has shattered into a million little pieces.

My grandmother passed away this morning. She would have been 95 next month.

It hurts so much.

My grandmother was so much more to me than just a grandma. She was my mother. She raised me off and on until I was about 7 or 8 years old. Then full time just months before my 11th birthday.

She was my best friend. My confidante. She was the one to sing to me when I couldn't sleep. She was the one who made me teas when my tummy hurt. And with her magic words, she healed all of my scrapes and bruises. Sana, sana, colita de rana...

Part of me wishes she were here now to heal my broken heart. But this is a wound that only time can heal.

Right now, I'm in stunned silence. I don't think I've spoken more than a dozen words all day since I learned of her passing. It's not that I don't want to speak, I just can't.

When I was about 15, my grandmother purchased a funeral plan. For weeks, she planned her funeral, picked out a casket, even going so far as to trying them out. I in turn, was mortified and didn't understand how she could talk about death and her funeral like it something so completely normal.

"Don't be sad, mija. When I die, it will be because I've gone home to be with the Lord. I'm going to be so happy when that day comes. So, don't cry. Don't wear black. Be happy for me. Be happy for you. And continue to live your life. Don't stop just because I'm no longer here."

Easier said than done.

Even knowing Gramm's wishes, I ache. Everything reminds me of her. And I remember every single thing about her, down to her favorite flower: carnations.

I realize how incredibly lucky and blessed I was to have been raised by my grandmother. She was a remarkable woman. And her memory will always live on.

I love you, Gramm.

Anita B. Enriquez

January 12, 1917 - December 9, 2011

Descanse en Paz

How Not to Write a Blog Post

2011-12-08T00:00:00.000-06:00

Photo credit

You are a blogger and you love to write. But you're also a full-time wife and mom and you've been so busy lately that you haven't had any time to dedicate to your beloved blog. The only thing you've written this week is an absence excuse note and a grocery list.

You are having serious withdrawals.

You complain to your Hubby and kiddies, who in turn, ~~fear for your sanity~~ feel guilty for keeping you from doing something that brings you so much joy. To make it up to you, they have promised to leave you alone to write for one full hour. Sixty uninterrupted minutes. Plenty of time to write one of the genius blog posts you've written in your head the past week.

A blogger's dream come true.

This is the story of how you spend that hour.

• Grab a cup of coffee and head to your office/bedroom.

• Turn on your computer and go directly to your blog's dashboard. Do not pass go and don't even think about Facebook or Twitter.

• Stare at the blank screen and spend the first 5 minutes thinking of the perfect SEO-friendly, attention grabbing title.

• Unable to think of a title for what could possibly be the best blog post you've ever written, you head to Facebook hoping to find a little inspiration.

• You glance down at the little clock down in the corner of your computer screen and see that you've already wasted 10 minutes. You return to your unwritten blog post and focus on writing.

• That lasts all of 2 minutes. Your mind is reeling with thoughts of the day's events and all of the things you have to do before your daughter's birthday this weekend. You can't concentrate like this! Maybe you'll feel better after you've focused on a smaller task, like answering a couple of emails from earlier this week.

• Another 10 minutes have passed and you start feeling guilty because you still haven't started writing that blog post.

• You force yourself to buckle down and get to work. This time you actually start writing. But 5 minutes into your story, you remember that tomorrow is your Hubby's grandmother's birthday, so....

• ...you head to Pinterest for what you promise yourself will be a quick search for the perfect birthday cake to bake tomorrow.

• Hubby walks in on you and sees your computer screen covered with images of birthday cakes, inspirational quotes and angel costumes and asks, "What happened to 'I HAVE to write'?"

• You look like a cross between a deer caught in the headlights and a prepubescent boy caught looking at naughty pictures online, but you still manage to counterattack with "What happened to 'uninterrupted'?"

• Hubby scurries out of the room, but as he closes the door behind him, he reminds you that you only have 20 minutes left.

• You close the dozen or so tabs that keep distracting you and return to your half-written blog post. Reading through it, you realize that it's going to take a lot longer than 20 minutes to finish, so you decide to save it for another day. (When you have more time to write.)

• You wonder what other half-written posts you have hiding in your drafts folder and check to see if there's one you could finish in the next 17 minutes.

• You discover a draft with a list of distractions that keep you from writing and realize that not much has changed in the last year since you wrote it.

• Inspired, you find yourself typing like crazy.

• 20 minutes later you hit "Publish" and hope it serves as a daily reminder of How Not to Write a Blog Post.

The End.

Post inspired by Mama Kat's World Famous Writer's Workshop. I chose prompt #4: Blast from the Past: What were you writing about last year at this time? Tell us what has changed (if anything) since then.

A Christmas wish....

2011-12-02T13:00:00.000-06:00

You know that song sung by little, rosy-cheeked kids who have started to lose their baby teeth, "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth"? Well, for me it's no longer just a cute Christmas song. It's more of a reality and a Christmas wish, except I've had to change the words slightly to, "All I want for Christmas is to keep my two front teeth and the few teeth I have left."

Yes, you guessed it! My tooth telenovela has yet another chapter.

It all started a couple of nights ago when I dreamed that two of my molars suddenly crumbled into hundreds of little pieces and that it took me forever to spit them all out. Well aware of my past tooth troubles and my history of psychic dreams, I feared that my dream meant more tooth troubles were in my immediate future. I was mortified.

To help ease my fears, I turned to my friends on Facebook and asked them to help interpret my dream. The general consensus was that it was a common nightmare that meant I was either stressed or self conscious or that maybe I wasn't saying what was on my mind. All of the interpretations made perfect sense to me, because life has been extremely hectic the last couple of weeks with the increased workload in Hubby's shop, Nick's recurring problems with his asthma, which resulted in me getting only 4 or 5 hours of sleep at night if I was lucky, all while trying to keep up with my responsibilities as a stay-at-home wife and mom.

I continued to look for interpretations of my dream online and discovered that in Greek culture, dreaming of falling teeth means that a close friend or relative has fallen ill. This also made sense to me, because I had just learned that one of my favorite aunts is very sick.

Then came Tuesday morning. I was busy warming up for my Cardio Mop workout when all of a sudden I felt that familiar sharp, tingling pain shooting through my mouth. As always, it came without warning and it came full force. While I waited for the over-the-counter pain medication to work its magic, I screamed and cried out in pain. Why? What did I do to deserve such pain and suffering? Someone, please shoot me and put me out of my misery!

Just when I was contemplating which of Hubby's tools to use to pull out all of my teeth, the pain subsided and I was thinking clearly once again and I knew just what I had to do.

I can take a hint. And completely ignore it. Like when this tooth first started giving me trouble back in September.

I can take a second hint and completely ignore that one too. In my defense, I was busy getting things ready for Nick's birthday party and really didn't have time for a root canal.

But this third hint? It's true what they say...a la tercera es la vencida (third time's a charm). I give up! There is no way I want to go through all of this pain and suffering again. So I went to my dentist that afternoon and had the first phase of my root canal done. (I go back on Monday for more!)

I really hope I don't have to change the name of this blog to "Toothless in Mexico".

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2011-11-22T22:00:00.000-06:00

I tried to resist.

I really did.

I even tried to wait until after Thanksgiving, because I'm a firm believer in one holiday at a time.

But the holiday spirit was too strong and I couldn't fight it much longer.

Truth be told, I've never been able to wait until the day after Thanksgiving for as long as I've lived in Mexico. (I blame it on the fact that Thanksgiving isn't a Mexican holiday. )

Thank goodness Revolution Day is celebrated on November 20th, or I might have put up my Christmas decorations the day after Dia de Muertos.

Mi Mexico Monday: Revolution Day Parade

2011-11-21T07:00:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was Revolution Day here in Mexico and as usual, there was a big parade to celebrate.

There were lots of little Revolucionarios and Adelitas,

Escaramusas

and pretty girls dancing.

And being that it was also Physical Fitness Day, there were little cheerleaders

and athletes doing pyramides and tablas ritmicas (sincronized fitness routines).

But my favorite part of the parade was watching Ashley and her classmates singing and dancing as cheerleading clowns.

How was your weekend?

Spanish Friday: Q & A

2011-11-18T07:00:00.000-06:00

Linking up with my friend, Latinaish, for Spanish Friday. Don't speak or read Spanish? No problem! Scroll down for the English version.

Hace unas semanas que mi amiga Ezzy publico unas preguntas en su blog y me hizo "tag" para que yo tambien las contestara. Me gusta hacer este tipo de ejercicios porque muchas veces las preguntas tratan de cosas que a lo mejor no mencionaria aqui en el blog. Espero que aprendan algo nuevo de mi.

¿Qué fue lo primero que le viste a tu pareja cuando se conocieron?
Sus ojos, su sonrisa y sus manos. (Suspiro!)

¿A dónde te gustaría ir de luna de miel?
No tuvimos luna de miel, asi que mi marido me debe una. Me encantaria ir a Cancun, a Paris o cualquier parte de Italia .

¿Te consideras una persona aventurera?
Para nada me considero una persona aventurera. Pero...despues de escribir sobre este platillo que comimos en El Rancho este fin de semana pasado, empiezo a pensar que a lo mejor si tengo algo de espiritu aventurera.

¿Tienes algún secreto tuyo que nunca le hayas contado a nadie?
Todos tenemos nuestros secretos, o no?

¿Playa o piscina?
Playa!!!

¿Verano o invierno?
Verano. Ya saben que yo y el frio no nos llevamos bien.

¿Besos of abrazos?
Las dos cosas, por favor! Y con muchos apapachos!

¿Dulce o salado?
Depende de mi humor. Pero casi siempre prefiero lo salado.

¿Fresa o chocolate?
Fresa yo? O sea, para nada! Pero al chocolate si le entro! :)

¿Blanco o negro?
Yo se que todo el mundo le gusta el color negro y que siempre esta muy de moda, pero me gusta mas el color blanco. Combina con mi consiencia. Jajaja!

¿Color favorito?
Azul turquesa.

¿Cuál es tu película favorita?
Que Bello Es Vivir y Amor Sin Barreras.

¿Juego de mesa favorito?
La Loteria.

¿Cuál es tu bebida favorita?
Coca-Cola.

¿Cual es tu bebida alcoholica favorito?
Tequila con Sangrita.

¿Cuál es tu mes favorito?
El mejor mes del año...Septiembre!

¿Qué es lo primero que piensas al despertar?
"A poco ya son las seis?" Y "Seguro que hoy no es sabado?"

¿Perdonarías una infidelidad de tu pareja?
Ni madres! (Sin ofender. Solo estoy siendo honesta.)

¿Cuántos timbrazos antes de contestar el telefono?
Minimo tres timbres. Si de verdad quieren hablar conmigo, esperaran hasta que conteste.

¿Sabes guardar secretos?
Si.

¿Dices tu edad verdadera?
Casi siempre. Quien sabe por que mi hijo menor cree que tengo quince años.

¿Te consideras timida o extrovertida?
Creanlo o no, pero soy super timida.

¿Que hay debajo de tu cama?
Absolutamente nada! Barrer y trapear debajo de mi cama son parte de mis ejercicios diarios de "Cardio Mop".

¿Has faltado a clases/al trabajo sólo por el clima?
No.

¿Cuánto tiempo tienes con este blog?
Dos años y medio!

Ahora te toca a ti contestar estas preguntas.

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A couple of weeks ago, my friend Ezzy posted a list of questions on her blog. I like these kinds of memes because sometimes the questions are about things I might not otherwise mention here on the blog.

What was the first thing you noticed about your husband when you met?

His eyes, his smile and his hands! (Sigh!)

Where would you like to go on a honeymoon?

We didn't get to go on a honeymoon, so Hubby definitely owes me one. I'd love to go to Cancun, or Paris, or anywhere in Italy.

Do you consider yourself to be an adventurous person?

Not at all! But after posting about this dish that we ate El Rancho last weekend, I'm starting to think that maybe I'm more adventurous than I thought.

Do you have a secret you've never shared with anybody?

Don't we all???

Beach or pool?

Beach!

Summer or Winter?

Summer! You all know that me and cold weather don't get along.

Kisses or hugs?

Both, please!

Sweet or salty?

Salty.

Strawberry or chocolate?

Chocolate!

Black or white?

I know that the color black is always very 'in' and stylish, but I prefer the color white. It matches perfectly with my conscience.

Favorite color?

Turquoise.

Favorite movie?

It's a Wonderful Life and West Side Story.

Favorite board game?

Mexican bingo!

Favorite beverage?

Mexican Coca-Cola

Favorite alcoholic beverage?

Tequila & Sangrita Cocktail

Favorite month?

Only the best month of the year...September.

What's the first thing you think about when you wake up?

"Is it six o'clock already?" and "Are you sure today isn't Saturday?"

Would you forgive an infidelity?

Hell. to. the. no! (Sorry for the language, just being honest!)

How many rings before you answer the phone?

At least 3. If the person really wants to talk to me, they'll wait.

Can you keep a secret?

Yes.

Do you tell your real age?

Most of the time. But then again, my youngest does think I'm fifteen.

Do you consider yourself shy or an extrovert?

Believe it or not, I'm really, really shy.

What's under your bed?

Absolutely nothing. Sweeping and mopping under my bed are part of my daily Cardio Mop workout.

Have you missed school or weather due to the weather?

No.

How long have you had your blog?

Two and a half years.

Okay, that's enough about me. How would you answer these questions?

Spanish Word of the Day: Estrenar

2011-11-08T07:00:00.000-06:00

One of the great things about being fluent in both English and Spanish is that if I can't find the right word in one language, I can usually find it in the other.

Such is the case with today's Spanish Word of the Day...Estrenar.

Estrenar: (transitive verb) to use/wear for the first time.

It's one of those words that leaves me thinking, "I wish there was a word for that in English!"

I guess I could say, "I have a new camera." But I think it sounds so much nicer when I say, "Estoy estrenando camara!"

For those of you that don't follow me on Facebook or read my food blog (shameless plug!), I have been without a camera since Halloween. But thanks to my very awesome and wonderful Hubby, that disastrous situation didn't last long.

Estoy estrenando camara, and these are the first photos from my new camera.

My littlest princess, Pingui

Mi gato gordo, Junior

Glass Coca-Cola bottles on my table

Before photo of a Ford seat Hubby worked on

After photo of the Ford seat

Before photo of a 1979 Ford pick-up Hubby worked on

After photo of Hubby's work

Have you estrenar anything lately?

.

My Least Favorite Thing About Fall

2011-11-06T22:30:00.000-06:00

To every thing, there is a season.

And something to love about every season. (Most of the time.)

Fall was my favorite of all the seasons. To me, it meant cooler weather, shorter days, leaves on the ground, apples, pumpkins and Thanksgiving.

But then I moved to Mexico.

Don't get me wrong. There is still much to love about Fall in Mexico. We too have cooler weather and shorter days, along with the added bonus of corn season and guasanas.

But to me, Fall in Mexico also means allergies and asthma. For both me and my 12 year old son, Nick.

So far this season, I've been pretty lucky. (Knock on wood!) I've only had one big asthma crisis, but nothing a couple of shots of glucocorticoid steroids couldn't cure.

Nick hasn't been so lucky.

His asthma has been acting up on a weekly basis.

He's had his shots. He's taking his medications. And he always carries his inhaler. But he still has his bad days.

At least once a week. And it's always worse at night.

The poor kid isn't able to get much sleep on those nights because of the constant coughing and wheezing. Hubby and I don't get much sleep either, because we take turns to watch over him and keep him company, curled up on the couch and watching late-night cartoons. We almost lost him once to pneumonia, so bad nights like tonight really worry us.

When Nick is finally able to fall asleep, he wakes up a couple of hours later feeling ten times better and is able to go on for days, playing and running around like nothing happened.

Those are my favorite days.

But then it happens all over again.

It's like riding a roller coaster over and over and over again.

And it's the thing I dread the most every Fall and Winter.

And the award goes to....

2011-11-05T15:30:00.000-06:00

When I was a little girl, I dreamed of being an actress, a singer and Wonder Woman, all rolledinto one. I’d spend hours playing infront of the mirror of my grandmother’s vanity, singing the theme song from The Dukes of Hazard or reciting linesfrom Little House on the Prairie, The Bionic Woman or Los Ricos Tambien Lloran.

As I got older,I still dreamed of being an actress. Butinstead of reciting lines in front of the bathroom mirror while I got ready forschool, I practiced my acceptance speech for the day when I’d win an AcademyAward.

“I’d like to thank God, my grandparents and mygorgeous boyfriend, Johnny Depp...”

Well, ifyou read the list of Things I’ve Never Done,you know that I never did win an Academy Award.

And I’mperfectly okay with that.

Gone are the days when I dreamed of becoming a critically acclaimed actress of stage and screen. (Unless your name is Brad Pitt and you want me to star in your newest film. Call me!)

No, I have a new dream these days.

I dream of being a world famous blogger, with dozens of people rushing to turn on their computer each day, just to read the poignant, life-changing and often witty things I have written.

The Blogosphere is where the really cool kids hang out.

And I think they are finally beginning to notice me, because earlier this week, two of the coolest bloggers, The Truth About Mexico and Cancun Canuck, nominated my blog for The Versatile Blogger Award.

But before I can take my seat at the cool kids table, I have to reveal 7 unknown facts about myself and pass on the award to other deserving bloggers. So, without further ado, here is my list of....

7 Things You Didn't Know About Me:

I traveled with a circus for about 2 months. (My mom was the owner's chauffeur.)
I once ate bull testicles. We call them criadillas. I didn't care much for them and they taste nothing like chicken.
I can't write poetry. The best I can do is a variation of "Roses are red. Violets are blue..."
I cry at the end of almost every movie I watch. Sometimes I barely make it through half of the movie before I start to cry. Like when I watched Bucket List and Toy Story 3.
My kids are embarrassed by the fact that I cry during movies.
My grandmother made me go to Secretary School. (That's why I can type like 70 words per minute. Blogging is my way of putting that skill to work.)
Hubby was the third man to ask me to marry him.

And now...

My nominees for The VersatileBlogger Award are…

This is Life

Destination Unknown

Letters to DFW (David Foster Wallace)

Autism Wonderland

What do I do all day?

Juan of Words

Latinaish

Best of Fates

Bicultural Mom

An Alaskan in Yucatan

Halloween 2011

2011-11-03T14:00:00.000-06:00

This Halloween was hands-down the best Halloween I've ever had here in Mexico.

This year, Jack chose to be the one and only Pumpkin King...Jack Skellington.

Nick wanted to be a zombie, but changed his mind at the very last-minute and chose to dress up as Frankenstein instead. Not really a big deal, because I had all of the necessary things for his costume. Well, almost everything. I didn't have any kind of green make-up, so I had to use green gel food coloring. Pretty darn genius on my part, if you ask me. (And no need to worry. The food coloring didn't stain his skin at all!)

Hope did a Halloween/Dia de Muertos mash-up and dressed up as La Catrina.

And little Miss Ashley dressed up as a beautiful gypsy. The kiddies and neighbors all referred to Ashley as the "weird" one, in a Marilyn Munster sort of way, because she chose a girly, non-scary costume. I had to keep reminding everyone that Halloween isn't just about scaring people and dressing up like monsters and witches.

The neighborhood kiddies also wanted to dress up for Halloween this year and asked if I could do their make-up. The demand was so great, that I ended up setting up a make-shift face painting booth on my sidewalk and charged 5 pesos per niño/a.

There were vampires.

Skeletons.

Masked crusaders and other super villains.

And more vampires. Lots and lots of vampires. It was definitely my most requested face.

I made about 75 pesos that afternoon, which was more than enough to buy candy for all of the trick-or-treaters that knocked on our door this year.

And to think I almost skipped Halloween!

How was your Halloween?

Book Review: The Immigrant Advantage

2011-11-02T00:00:00.000-06:00

"Do you have a relative or friend who would wait on you, hand and foot, for a full month after you had a baby?"

Why yes, I do. My grandfather stayed with me (and waited on me) for La Cuarentena when my first two children were born. In the Mexican culture, La Cuarentena is the 40-day period after a woman gives birth. It is believed that during this 40-day period, both mother and child are at their most vulnerable and need to be taken care of. It's usually another woman who looks after the new mother and baby. But my grandmother was unable to do so because of her Alzheimer's, so my grandpa gladly stepped in and took care of all of us, including Hubby. When I moved to Mexico, my suegra and sister-in-laws, were the ones to take care of me when I gave birth to my youngest children.

The Mexican Cuarentena is just one many customs and traditions that are covered in The Immigrant Advantage by Claudia Kolker.

The Immigrant Advantage takes you all over the globe to places like China, Jamaica, West India and South Asia to examine the very customs and traditions immigrants from those countries still practice even though they now live in the United States and what we can learn from them. Customs such as:

The Vietnamese Money Club
South Asian Assisted Marriage
Korean and Chinese Afterschools
West Indian Multigenerational Housholds
Barrio Stoops, Sidewalks and Shops
Vietnamese Monthly Rice

AsI read the book, I was delighted to discover the similarities between the customs practiced in other parts of the world and the customs practiced here in Mexico. Like the Vietnamese Money Club covered in Chapter 2. In Mexico, we call them tandas or cundinas.

Chapter6 about How to Be a Good Neighbor, could very well have been written in mybarrio. As neighbors, we watch out for each other and offer a helping hand when needed. We set out chairs on the sidewalk every afternoon to people watch and/or catch up on local chisme (gossip) with ourvecinos, while watching the neighborhood kids all play futbol in the street or get theirfaces painted for Halloween. Not to mention themultiple trips to La Tiendita. LikeCamila, the 13 year old Mexican girl, la tiendita was one of the things I missed most during my last visit the U.S.

What I enjoyed most about this book is that it reminded me how important it is to pass on to my kiddies the customs and traditions of both their Mexican and American cultures.

Have a question for the author? Feel free to ask it in comments as she’ll be by to answer you!

About the author:

Claudia Kolker has reported extensively from Mexico and Central America, as well as the Caribbean, Japan, India and Pakistan. A former Los Angeles Times bureau chief and member of the Houston Chronicle editorial board, she has also written for The Economist, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, O: The Oprah Magazine,Slate, and Salon. She lives in Houston with her family. For The Immigrant Advantage, Kolker visited Korean and Chinese afterschools, West Indian multigenerational households in New Jersey, and Chicago’s “Little Village,” among others.

Book Tour Dates & Locations:

Monday, October 24, 2011: Juan of Words - http://www.juanofwords.com/Tuesday, October 25, 2011: Voto Latino - http://www.votolatino.org/Wednesday, October 26, 2011: Spanglish Baby - http://www.spanglishbaby.com/Thursday, October 27, 2011: Latinaish - http://latinaish.com/ Friday, October 28, 2011: TikiTiki Blog - http://tikitikiblog.com/Tuesday, November 1, 2011: Chicano Soul - http://thechicanosoul.blogspot.com/Wednesday, November 2, 2011: Motherhood in Mexico - http://www.motherhoodinmexico.com/Thursday, November 3, 2011: Atzlan Reads - http://www.aztlanreads.com/Friday, November 4, 2011: Multicultural Familia - http://www.multiculturalfamilia.com/

About the book:
The Immigrant Advantage is a fascinating look into the lives of immigrant enclaves in the United States that we so seldom gain access to, and an inspiring exploration about how these customs can enrich our own lives. You may purchase a copy of this book at Amazon.com

FTC Disclosure: Motherhood in Mexico received a free copy of the book from the author as part of a Simon & Schuster Book Tour. Motherhood in Mexico was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Bits & Pieces

2011-10-29T23:00:00.002-05:00

The past couple of weeks have been a little hectic in the Limón household. In between multiple group homework assignments and toothaches, we've had a birthday or anniversary to celebrate every week since the beginning of September.

The most recent being Nick's 12th birthday, which was yesterday (Friday). My little boy is twelve years old! That means that at this time next year, he'll be a teenager. Where did the time go?

Speaking of time just flying right by us, the day before Nick's birthday we celebrated another special anniversary. Our 11th anniversary of living in Mexico. Eleven years sounds like an incredibly long time. Somehow it just doesn't feel like it's been that long.

I wanted to write a blog post to commemorate such a special occasion, but my darn tooth hurt like the dickens that day and I wasn't able to do much of anything except writhe in pain. It's kind of my own fault, I guess. I mean, I probably should have gone in for the root canal instead of having my wisdom tooth pulled, but I really didn't want to go through all that pain again. I still don't. But that tooth isn't giving me much of a choice. Darn it!

On a happier note, sometime tonight Daylight Savings finally comes to an end (for those of us in Mexico). Good riddance! I am looking forward to an extra hour of sleep and seeing that the sun is already out when I wake up.

The only bad thing about the end of Daylight Savings is that cycling season is also coming to a close. Today, Hubby and his cycling buddies rode all the way from Mascuala (outskirts of Guadalajara) for the last ride of the season.

Hubby's the one in plaid shorts smiling directly at the camera.

While Hubby was away, the kiddies and I enjoyed a ~~lazy~~ relaxed Saturday playing games, eating leftover pizza and watching movies. But not just any movies, our favorite Halloween movies, which helped lift our Halloween spirits that have been of dragging since the loss of my decorations.

The kiddies have all decided on their costumes. I'm sworn to secrecy until Halloween, but I will give you a hint. Hope had me do a practice run on her make-up. Can you guess what she's going to be?

All in all, today was a good day.

How was your day?

A Killer Homework Assignment

2011-10-25T22:30:00.000-05:00

It's never a dull day in the Limón household.

And it's not everyday that my 13-year old daughter shouts, "Mamá! I have to film a murder for chemistry class today!", when she gets home from school.

I was busy putting the final touches on what we were about to eat for lunch, while also trying to get my boys to change out of their school clothes, so I was a little distracted and pretty sure I hadn't heard Hope correctly.

"What did you just say???"

"A bunch of us are going to Kim's house later to film a murder."

This time there were no distractions and I heard every word she said.

"Did you just say murder?"

"Sí!"

"Mija, I know Mexico has seen it's share of violence, but it's not like it's happening out in the street for you and your friends to film it. And.... Oh. My. God! What is your teacher thinking?"

Most of our conversation had been in Spanish, but this is when I had a Ricky Ricardo-like outburst, "Mira que tiene cosa...", but in English.

Hope just stood in our dining room, rolling her eyes and shaking her head, "Ay mamá! Not a real murder!"

"Oh! Well, why didn't you say so in the first place?"

Hope went on to explain that their mini-movie was going to be a tale of love and betrayal, which leads to murder, drinking and smoking with a special appearance by the devil and the angel spirit of the murder victim.

The kind of stuff telenovelas are made of.

What I didn't (and still don't) understand is what all of this has to do with chemistry class. A creative writing class, I can understand. But not 9th grade chemistry. The way the "kids" explained it to me is that it's supposed be something like CSI where the rest of the students have to figure out what evidence to gather and how to process it all. Or something like that. But they're not entirely sure either.

Hope (center) and the rest of the cast of the 9th grade murder mystery.

All I know is that Kate del Castillo better watch out, because there's a new Reina del Sur and she's taking over chemistry class.

*Linking up with Parenting by Dummies and Seven Clown Circus for Wordful Wednesday.

Mi Mexico Monday: Pan American Games Parade

2011-10-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

This year's Juegos Panamericanos (Pan Am Games) are being held in Guadalajara, Jalisco. Just a short 90-minute drive from where I live.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Pan American Games, they're a lot like the Olympics, but only for those that live on the American Continent (North and South America).

In honor of the Juegos Panamericanos, some of the schools here in town, got together to put on a small, very last-minute parade, with each class dressed up to represent the participating countries. Nick's 6th grade class was chosen to represent the United States.

Some of the other countries represented besides the U.S. and the host country, Mexico, were Argentina, Venezuela, Brazil and Canada.

I thought this was a fun festivity for all of the students involved and I hope it was a great learning experience for them as well. I would have liked to have seen Nick waving the American flag, but he had Escolta duties which were more important.

Have you been watching the PanAm Games?

Spanish lesson: Dads, Parents, Potatoes, Popes & The Best Dad in the World

2011-10-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

As a former ESL teacher, I know that one of the most difficult things about learning a new language is that words can have more than one meaning.

As a bilingual wife and mom, it's my job to try to take full advantage of those multiple meanings, every chance I get.

Case in point, Jack's homework. His teacher sends home these ticker-tape style notes with the day's homework assignment.

At the end of the first bullet point, the teacher uses the words los papás. Los papás can mean either "the dads" or "the parents". Since this particular homework assignment included cutting several pieces of a tangram, I tried to convince Hubby that the teacher was clearly stating that she wanted the dads to do the work.

But Hubby wasn't falling for it.

Yesterday, Jack brought home this paper with another message addressed to Papás.

Since the teacher is thanking and congratulating the papás for their hard work and help with the homework assignments, it's obvious that she is referring to "the parents". Moms AND dads. But Hubby is convinced that she is just thanking "the dads".

What do you think?

Speaking of papás, I want to wish Hubby, the best papá and husband in the whole wide world, a very Happy 39th Birthday!

I love you, Alfie! Que Dios te de muchos años mas!

*Bonus Spanish Lesson: The word Papas, without the accent over the second "a", can mean either potatoes or Popes, as in head of the Catholic church.

**Linking up with my good friend, Latinaish, for a Semi-Spanish Friday!

Adventures in House Renting & Quite Possibly The End of the World

2011-10-20T11:00:00.000-05:00

For 8 of the soon-to-be 11 years we have lived in Mexico, we have been renting a house that is just 3 doors down from my in-laws. (We lived with them our first 3 years in Mexico.)

Up until August of last year, we had lived in this house without a rental contract and paid the ridiculously low amount of 600 pesos per month for the rent of both the house and Hubby's upholstery shop. (Can you imagine paying $50 dollars a month in rent for both a house and a shop in the U.S.?)

Then last year, when one of the owners came to visit, she doubled our rent and insisted we sign a rental agreement. I think she works as an apartment manager or something like that in the U.S. As a former office manager for a property management company, I can understand why she was so insistent

When filling out the agreement, the owner told us we could make it out for however long we wanted. Not happy about having our rent doubled overnight, Hubby wasn't really sure if he wanted us to continue living in this house much longer, so we suggested it be for only a year.

That contract expired in August. With the owners in the U.S. and the landlady not really wanting to be involved, no mention of needing or wanting a new one was ever made. Until last week. The landlady dropped off a new rental agreement/contract for us to fill out and sign. Again, we were told we could make it out for as long as we wanted.

Not wanting to have to go through this hassle year after year, Hubby and I agreed that a three year contract would be fine.

Well...this morning we got a call from the other owner of the house (they're sisters) telling us that we should fill out the contract for just another year, because she hopes to move down some time at the end of next year. Si Dios quiere. (If God willing.)

All of this is fine with both Hubby and I. We knew that we wouldn't live in this house forever. Me and this house have never really gotten along anyway. (You can read more about that here and here.) The good thing is that we have a few options for our next rental home when our time is finally up.

What's really disturbing to me though, is that one of those houses is out in the middle of nowhere (really it's just the outskirts of town) with absolutely no internet access WHATSOEVER!

Looks like 2012 might be the end of the world after all!

Ay. Dios. Mio!

Skipping Halloween???

2011-10-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

I don't think I have to remind you how much I love holidays, especially Halloween.

It was still September when I began crafting new styrofoam spiders and other creepy crawlers to add to my cute and spooky collection.

Then a few days later I saw what was surely a sign that it was time for me to put up my Halloween decorations.

But when I went to look for them, they were nowhere to be found.

At first, I thought that maybe I had just misplaced them. But after two weeks of searching through every place imaginable and unimaginable, I still hadn't found them.

No poster-board fence and witch silhouette.

No shredded Hefty bag curtains.

No cute felt witches that were hand-sewn and embroidered by yours truly.

Not even the plastic Jack-O-Lanterns I lucked upon at the diez peso store a couple of years ago.

It's taken me years to scare up my collection of handmade Halloween decorations, adding a handful of things each year. And now they've vanished into thin air.

Maybe they're just another thing to disappear into that abyss I like to call the Bermuda Triangle.

Or maybe they were accidentally tossed into the trash by a well-meaning suegro who was helping to Spring-clean our storage room. (This wouldn't be the first time something of mine was "accidentally" tossed into the trash.)

Whatever the reason, I feel absolutely heartbroken and devastated. And just a little ticked off. But I'm more sad than I am mad.

Celebrating Halloween, or any other American holiday for that matter, is hard enough to do in Mexico. And well, without decorations to set the mood, I'm afraid it won't be as easy to keep my Halloween spirit alive.

It's almost enough to make me consider skipping Halloween this year.

Almost.

To be continued....

Things I've Never Done...

2011-10-18T00:00:00.000-05:00

Because I've been 37 years old for almost a whole month, I've come up with a list of Things I've Never Done. Some of the things I hope to be able to do someday. And other things, well, I'll probably never even attempt to do.

37 Things I've Never Done

1. Traveled any where outside the U.S. or Mexico.

2. Visited the pyramids or any of the amazing archaeological sites Mexico has to offer.

3. Learned to drive a stick shift.

4. Jumped out of an airplane.

5. Had a pedicure. (Probably never will. I'm not comfortable with strangers touching my feet.)

6. Gotten a tattoo.

7. Made love in an elevator.

8. Ventured farther south in Mexico than Guadalajara.

9. Gone skinny dipping.

10. Worn an evening gown.

11. Met my first childhood crush: Donny Osmond! (♥)

12. Met my teenage crush: Tommy Lee (♥♥♥)

13. Done Yoga or Pilates.

14. Had a Pumpkin Pie Latte. (Or whatever they're called.)

15. Stepped foot inside a Starbuck's. (Remeber, I've lived in Small Town, Mexico for the past 11 years.)

16. Had a Quinceañera or Sweet Sixteen party.

17. Gotten drunk. (Unless you count that one New Year's Eve where I drank too much sparkling apple cider, but it shouldn't count because it was sparkling apple cider.)

18. Been on a cruise.

19. Smoked a cigar.

20. Won anything. (Prize, Raffle, Car, Lottery, Grammy, Oscar, Nobel Peace Prize....)

21. Cared much for exercise.

22. Had to save the world.

23. Ridden off into the sunset. (Although, I have flown down to Mexico at sunrise with Hubby!)

24. Had a limpia (Mexican spiritual cleansing). (But I think I might know someone who can hook me up.)

Ashley giving my suegro (father-in-law) a limpia.

25. Traveled alone.

26. Gone on a blind date.

27. Thrown a big party while my mom/grandparents were out of town.

28. Fired a weapon. (A BB gun at summer camp doesn't count.)

29. Heard Hubby say, "Leslie, you've got some 'splainin to do!"

30. Gone to Vegas as an adult, so I could do something that would stay in Vegas.

31. Had a surprise party.

32. Kicked Hubby out of bed for eating crackers.

33. Seen any of The Godfather movies.

34. Been a bridesmaid.

35. Fainted.

36. Been to New York City.

37. Joined the Mile-High Club.

What are some of things you haven't done???

Linking up with Mama Kat for her Pretty Much World-Famous Writer's Workshop.

Laugh of the Day: Spanish Friday Edition

2011-10-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

Linking up with my friend Latinaish for Spanish Friday. Don't speak or read Spanish? Not a problem! Just scroll down a little for the English Translation.

Ayer, mi esposo estaba ayudando a uno de nuestros sobrinos con su tarea de geografia. (El mismo sobrino de la otra vez.) Una de las preguntas era "¿Cómo está organizado México?" A la que mi sobrino contesto, "MUY MAL!"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

English Translation:

Yesterday, Hubby was helping one of our nephews with his geography homework. (The same nephew from this blog post.) One of the questions was, "How is Mexico organized?" To which our nephew answered, "VERY BAD!"

Witches Only!

2011-10-05T12:00:00.000-05:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Halloween.

This isn't the first time I've found a lone broom parked in El Jardin. I'm beginning to think it's a sign to put up my Halloween decorations.

What do you think?

Mi Mexico Monday: Independence Day Parade

2011-09-19T13:30:00.000-05:00

Every year, on September 16th, there is a parade in practically every pueblito and big city throughout Mexico to celebrate Independence Day. And like most Mexicans, we attend year after year, even though it's pretty much the same thing as the year before.

As usual, there were plenty of cute little kids dressed in traditional costumes.

Re-enactments of famous moments in history.

Beauty Queens.

Mariachis.

Escaramusas.

And La Reina de los Charros, who just so happens to be our niece.

But my favorite part of the entire parade was watching my son Nick, as part of the Escolta. (An honor reserved only for the smartest 6th graders!)

Sundays In My City: Donkey Parade

2011-09-18T16:15:00.000-05:00

Aside from the Independence Day parade on Friday (which I'll tell you more about mañana), this weekend, we were treated to a different kind of parade...A donkey parade!

The townsfolk line Main Street to watch and follow the parade all the way to El Jardin.

There used to be donkey races around El Jardin, but sadly that tradition has slowly been disappearing the last couple of years.

Now it's mostly about drinking Agua Loca and dressing up your donkey.

This parade wouldn't be complete without the tinacos full of Agua Loca being passed out along the parade route. Agua Loca is a mixture of Kool-Aid and every kind of liquor imaginable: whisky, tequila, vodka, etc.

Don't forget to hand the drivers a glass of that Agua Loca.

When the parade ends in El Jardin (townsquare), a Donkey Queen is crowned and parades around the square atop her faithful steed.

Have you ever been to a donkey parade?

Linking up with my friend, Unknown Mami for Sundays in My City.

Latism Official Blogger Vs. Blogger Vs. Blogger Challenge

2011-09-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

In honor of Independence Day here in Mexico, and Hispanic Heritage Month, I am linking up with some very special friends of mine -Chantilly of Bicultural Mom and Vanessa of De Su Mama - to bring you this special edition of Blogger vs. Blogger vs. Blogger, brought to you by my friends at Latism. and hosted by my blog compadre, Juan of Words.

1. This is us!

Let me introduce you to my beautiful familia. My handsome hubby, Alfonso. (I call him Alfie, everyone else calls him Poncho, but here on the blog he's known as Hubby.) Our gorgeous kiddies: Hope (13), Nick (11), Ashley (8) and Jack (6). And that's me, Leslie, in the purple dress. This picture was taken in December at my suegros' (in-laws') 45th Anniversary Extravaganza.

2. The family that shops together...

When out shopping, we can never agree on anything. I want to buy groceries and things for my kitchen. Hubby wants something sweet like pan dulce (Mexican pastry) or something for his bicycle. (He's my Mexican Lance Armstrong!) The kiddies all want toys and/or clothes & makeup. The only thing we agree on is the wide variety of fruits and veggies that vendors deliver to our door almost daily. Like Elotes (corn)!

3. My babies are beautiful!

It's said that there is only one perfect, beautiful child in this world and every mom has it. BUT...I happen to know that there are actually four of them. With good-looking parents like me and Hubby, it's no surprise that my kiddies are absolutely gorgeous!

4. Keeping up with Los Limon!

Longtime readers of Motherhood in Mexico know that our favorite place to hang out is El Rancho.
Any chance we get, this is where we can be found. Grilling Carne Asada, baking bread in the clay oven and just enjoying a good time with the family.

5. Thru the years...

The oldest thing in our house, that we hope to one day pass on to our children and grandchildren is this camuca that belonged to Hubby's abuelita. It's kind of like a wood saddle that she would use when riding her burro (donkey).

6. Momma's Favorite Toy

Hubby thinks I should post a pic of my computer, because I play with it every chance I get. Which is true, BUT...I have to disagree with Hubby on this one. My computer is not a toy. It's so much more than that and one of life's bare necessities. For toys, my favorite is my Kindle. I can read books in English! (Which are really hard to find here.) Listen to music. Surf the web. Play games. It's like a bunch of toys rolled into one.

7. A picture is worth 1,000 words.

I think this picture captures the essence of what our family (and this blog) is all about...a unique blend of American and Mexican culture and tradition.

8. Growing Pains

When we first moved to Mexico, we lived in 2 rooms on the second floor of my suegros' home for 3 years. As soon as we moved out, they turned it into another dentist office. (One I'm way too familiar with!)

9. I'm not cooking tonight!!!

For those nights that I just don't feel like cooking dinner, there's really only one food we turn to and that is TACOS, from our favorite taco stand that is just down the street from our house.

10. Hurry up! We're running late!!!

Yeah, right!!! If there's one thing I can't stand, it is being late! Living in Mexico, I've learned that not everyone feels the same way, so I've had to let go of my OCD habit of showing up early for parties. But for school, mass and appointments, I'm ALWAYS on time.

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into my life. Be sure to check out my competition in this Battle of the Mamí Bloggers: Bicultural Mom and De Su Mama.

The Official Blogger vs. Blogger Challenge on LATISM is a unique and creative way of promoting blogger content through the Latinos In Social Media network, in partnership with Juan of Words. Challenge participants are assigned a customized list of competing categories based on their individual blogs and online personalities, and their resulting posts are promoted via LATISM’s social media networks. If you’d like to be featured in a future edition of The Official Blogger vs. Blogger Challenge on LATISM email juanofwords@gmail.com.

Just Say No!

2011-09-14T10:30:00.000-05:00

There comes a time in every parent's life, when you just have to say no.

Even before the dreaded question is asked.

No.

No!

NO!!!

The Young & The Toothless

2011-09-08T14:00:00.000-05:00

I really thought that my last trip to the dentist was going to be just that. For anything serious, anyway. I'd still visit occasionally for check-ups and cleanings. But that's it. No more pulled wisdom teeth, root canals or broken teeth for me. No, Señor!

Well, so much for wishful thinking.

My tooth troubles are back and turning into their very own telenovela (soap opera).

This morning, I was feeling like my usual happy, chipper self. I spent most of the morning getting the kiddies ready and sending them off to school and picking up the house, so I could start my Cardio Mop workout. It was about 10am, and I was starting to get a little hungry. I'd been too busy to have breakfast earlier. But before I could decide what I wanted for breakfast, I thought I'd sneak in a few minutes on Facebook. (Priorities!)

Hubby was in the bathroom, brushing his teeth. And I was commenting on a friend's status, joking about how I was sneaking in some Facebook time, when I should be cleaning and doing laundry.

Then all of sudden, I felt this sharp, intense pain in my tooth.

For a second, I thought it was a sign from the Heavens that I should stop playing around on the computer and get to work. One of those, "If I'm lying, may God strike me with lightning" kind of things.

But the pain continued. And increased in intensity. I didn't know what was happening, nor why. I couldn't even speak to tell Hubby what was happening. I was screaming and crying, because the pain was so intense. It was so violently painful, I thought I was going to have a stroke or something.

Finally after a couple of minutes, I was able to tell Hubby that it was my tooth that was causing me so much pain. Hubby then grabbed his cell phone and called Dr. Manny, our dentist, to tell him that we were on our way to his office.

Lucky for me, my dentist is only 3 doors down and I was completely capable of walking there. But I winced in pain every step of the way because even drawing in breath through my mouth was causing me excruciating pain.

Dr. Manny administered two different kinds of anasthesia to help alleviate the pain, but they weren't working fast enough for me. An x-ray revealed that I have an infection in the root of one of my teeth and will need yet another root canal.

Oh joy!!!

So for the next few days, I will be on pain meds and antibiotics. My mouth feels like I got punched in the face by Mike Tyson. And it hurts to eat anything hot or cold.

At this rate, I'm pretty sure I'm going to need dentures by the time I'm 40.

I wonder if the folks at Colgate would consider sponsoring this blog.

30 Day Song Challenge: Week 1

2011-08-28T20:30:00.001-05:00

Have you heard of the 30 Day Song Challenge? It's a popular meme floating around Facebook and Blogland. Each day has it's own topic/category such as: your favorite song, your least favorite song, a song that drives you crazy, etc.

Well last week my friend, Juan (from the blog Juan of Words) and I started the 30 Day Song Challenge on our Facebook fan pages.

I'm having so much fun remembering old favorites, that I thought I'd share them here too.

Day 1 - Your favorite song:
Choosing just one favorite song was not an easy task for me. But out of all of the songs I love, this is my absolute favorite. I could listen to it over and over again.

Day 2 - Your LEAST favorite song:
I like the message of this song, but that's about it. And I'm usually a fan of Beyonce's, but I can't stand this song.

Day 3 - A song that makes you happy:
Yes, I know I'm a dork! But I LOVE this song and can't help but feel happy whenever I hear it.

Day 4 - A song that makes you sad:
Living in Mexico, I rarely get to hear the Star Spangled Banner. So whenever I do get to hear it, which is usually while watching the Super Bowl, I can't help but cry and feel just a little sad and homesick for the good ol' U.S. of A.

DAY 5 - A song that reminds you of someone:
This song reminds me of my mom because it was one of her favorites.

DAY 6 - A song that reminds you of somewhere:
The title of this song is pretty self explanatory. It reminds me of the three years I lived in Amarillo when I was a kid. (And I've had the biggest crush on George Strait for as long as I can remember!)

Day 7 - A song that reminds you of a certain event:
This song reminds me of my Senior Prom. (The theme was Set the Night To Music.) My prom wasn't all that memorable or traumatic for me, but it was for my best friend. I know she still cringes
whenever she hears this song.

What songs would you choose?

Sundays in My City: The World's Largest Molcajete

2011-08-28T08:24:00.001-05:00

It seems only fitting that the small town known for producing the best Chile de Arbol, would also have the world's largest molcajete.

Linking up with my friend, Unknown Mami for:

First Day of School 2011

2011-08-22T13:30:00.002-05:00

Today was the first day of school here in Mexico. And of course my kiddies went back to school looking pretty darn cute!

Hope started 9th grade.

Nick started 6th grade and Ashley 4th.

And Jack started 1st grade!

I can't believe my baby is already in 1st grade! And next year Hope will be in High School and Nick in Junior High. (Sigh!) They're growing up so fast. Part of me wishes that I could freeze time and let them stay "little" for just a while longer.

One Year Ago: Back to School (2010)

Back to School Spanish Lesson

2011-08-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

It's Spanish Friday and since my kiddies are going back to school on Monday, I thought I'd combine the two to bring you the very first Motherhood in Mexico Back-to-School Spanish Lesson.

Let's start with the basics:
Escuela - School
Kinder/Jardin de Niños - Kindergarten
Guarderia - Daycare
(Escuela) Primaria - Elementary School
(Escuela) Secundaria* - Junior High
Preparatoria (Prepa)/Bachillerato - High School
Universidad - University
Colegio - Private School (Colegio in Mexico does not refer to college!)

*One of my biggest pet peeves when watching movies or TV shows dubbed in Spanish is when they refer to High School as Secundaria.

Young children, some as young as 3 years old, attend Kindergarten for 2 to 3 years, depending on how old they are. Some start with Primero de Kinder (First Grade). But some, mostly older kids, jump right into Segundo de Kinder (Second Grade). And all kids attend Tercero de Kinder (Third Grade).

Elementary Schools in Mexico are just like most schools in the U.S.
Primero = First grade
Segundo = Second grade
Tercero = Third grade
Cuarto = Fourth grade
Quinto = Fifth grade
Sexto = Sixth grade

When you start junior high, you don't continue with 7th, 8th and 9th grade. You start all over with First, Second and Third grade.
Primero (de Secundaria): 7th grade
Segundo (de Secundaria): 8th grade
Tercero (de Secundaria): 9th grade

Same with Prepa and Bachillerato. Although some schools divide the year into semesters.
10th grade = Primero (de Prepa) or Primer y Segundo Semestre
11th grade = Segundo (de Prepa) or Tercer y Cuarto Semestre
12th grade = Tercero (de Prepa) or Quinto y Sexto Semestre

Some schools have so many students that they offer morning and afternoon classes.
Turno Matutino = Morning classes
Turno Vespertino = Afternoon classes

Back to School Questions:
What grade are you in?
En que año estas (en la esuela)?

What school do you go to?
A que escuela vas?

Who is your teacher?
Quien es tu maestra/o?

Speaking of teachers...Did you know that in Mexico it is customary to call teachers by their first name?

There is so much more I could add to this list, but I think I'll save it for another day. I'll just add one more word for you moms and dads. It's where some of us will be spending our weekend and most of next week...

Papeleria - Office/School Supply store

The Name Game: Back to School Edition

2011-08-17T22:50:00.001-05:00

Every year it's the same thing. First day of school. New teachers. Roll call. Gringo names. Spanish pronunciation.

Things tend to get a little confusing because there is a big difference in how words (and names) are read (and pronounced) in English and in Spanish.

If read in English, my kiddies' names all have a very nice ring to them. But read in Spanish, they become something totally different. For example, the "J" in Spanish sounds like the English "H", so Jack Alfonso becomes HACK Alfonso.

And because the English "TH" is very hard for many Spanish speakers to pronounce, Ashley Faith becomes ASH-LAY FIGHT.

Since the Mexican "CH" is never pronounced like the letter "C", Nicholas Patrick becomes NEE-CHOH-LAWS PAW-TREEK. His first grade teacher, refused to pronounce his name in English, claiming that since we were in Mexico, his name had to be read as if it were in Spanish. Finally after a couple of months, she started calling him Nick.

This isn't the only problem Nick's had with his name. When we first moved to Mexico, Hubby's grandmother was waiting for us at my in-laws house, anxious to meet her great-grandchildren. As soon as she picked Nick up in her arms, she asked us what his name was, to which we both replied, "Nicholas Patrick." She looked at us kind of in shock and said, "Nicolas Parches? What kind of name is that???" Parches is Spanish for "Patches". She thought we named our son, Nicholas Patches.

Oddly enough, Hope's one syllable name causes the most confusion.

The "H" in Spanish is always silent, so Hope Nicole becomes OH-PAY NEE-COLE-AY. Sounds a little like Pig Latin doesn't it? But no, it's how most teachers have pronounced Hope's name over the years. When Hope explains the proper pronunciation, the name Hope is then mistaken for HOBE, which is the Spanish pronunciation of the Biblical name, Job. Which then leads to the following conversation...

"Isn't that a boy's name?"
"Yes, Job is a boy's name. But my name is Hope, it's the English word for Esperanza."
"Then why didn't your parents just name you Esperanza?"
"Because my mom's a Gringa!"
"Oh!"

But wait, the fun doesn't stop there.

Remember, everyone in Mexico has two last names. Hubby's last name, Limón is easy to pronounce: LEE-MOAN. But my Gringo maiden name? Not so easy! "Harris" has that darn silent "H" and the double "R" so it becomes AH-RRRREEEESS.

I told you it gets confusing.

Thankfully, my kiddies are all great sports and really don't mind having to go through this year after year on the first day of school. They are proud of their names and like the fact that no one in school has the same name.

Have you ever had someone mispronounce your name?

New Exercise Craze

2011-08-15T14:00:00.126-05:00

Move over Jillian Michaels, Billy Blanks and Richard Simmons. From the woman who hates exercise and thought it would be a cold day in Hades before she'd ever feel differently comes an exciting new workout that will help get your body (and home) in tip top shape.

Forget Zumba, Spinning, Pilates or whatever exercise craze is currently "in" and say hello to a revolutionary exercise that I like to call...Cardio Mop!

For those of you unfamiliar with houses in Mexico, most homes don't have wall-to-wall carpeting. But some of us are lucky enough to have wall-to-wall tiling. And not that vinyl peel-and-stick kind of tiling. I'm talking handmade cement tiles. (Some are quite lovely.)

Part of every Mexican housewife's morning routine is to sweep and mop the entire house. EVERY day. Luckily my house is small, so this workout only takes me 30 minutes from start to finish. Most days.

I like to start my "work-out" with a warm-up which consists of sweeping the bedrooms, bathroom, living room, dining room and kitchen. There's bending and stretching to get all of the dust, candy wrappers, toys, shoes, stray school supplies and lost socks from under the furniture. Followed by a quick run around the house trying to put everything back where it belongs.

Now that I've got my heart rate up, it's time to start the real workout.

Fill a bucket with water and add your favorite cleaning solution: bleach, Pinol or Fabuloso. (I love that purple stuff!) A little aroma therapy really helps makes for a much more pleasant workout.

Dip your mop in the bucket and wring it out, but not completely. The first pasada (passing of the mop) is best with a very wet mop. The extra water adds weight which will help in shaping and toning your biceps, triceps and shoulders. Mop one or two rooms at a time, making sure to really put your weight into pushing the mop around, which will help work every muscle in your body.

Return the mop to the bucket, then wring it out completely. This final pasada is to dry the floor and is the second set of your workout.

Continue to mop the remaining rooms, until your entire house is clean and you feel the burn in every muscle.

Now that's what I call a great workout! And it's also great for relieving stress!

As a co-founder of H.A.H. (Housewives Against Housework), I wasn't always fond of having to mop my house every single day. But there was only one thing I disliked even more...EXERCISE. Since both activities are necessary evils, why not turn such an arduous chore into a workout, thus killing two birds with one stone.

Now if only I could convince the folks at Bally's or 24-Hour Fitness that Cardio-Mop is sure to be the next big exercise craze.

Linking up with:

Mystery Solved: Mezquitamal

2011-08-12T14:00:00.006-05:00

In yesterday's installment of Name That Food, I asked if anyone could identify this mystery food...

Like many of you, I thought it was some kind of cheese. But it is not. It's a typical Mexican candy called Mezquitamal, made by the Huicholes in Chimaltitan, Jalisco.

Mezquitamal is a paste made from ground up Mezquite seeds. I am not a fan of eating raw or dried Mezquites, so I was a little hesitant to try this dulce tipico. But dedicated blogger that I am, I finally worked up enough courage this morning to taste it.

When you cut into the Mezquitamal, it looks a little like a Queso Fresco, but the texture is kind of dry and crumbly, very much like a mazapan (Mexican marzipan). The taste is pretty strong. That's why it's traditionally served in small portions with a steaming mug of Atole. The more I tried the Mezquitamal and really took the time to savor the flavor, the more I liked it. To me it tasted like a strong herbal tea. And it left me with this fresh and pleasant aftertaste. Not what I expected at all.

I think I'm going to go have another slice.

Name That Food

2011-08-11T13:00:00.001-05:00

I don't know about you, but I really love playing this game. And there are just so many foods to choose from here in Mexico.

Today's mystery food is brought to us by my brother-in-law, who saw these and thought they'd be perfect for another installment of Name That Food.

So...Do you know what today's mystery food is?

Two Weeks Notice...

2011-08-08T07:00:00.005-05:00

I can't believe that we've already come to this.

I have been having so much fun.

Staying up late, not worrying about waking up before the sun comes out. Waking up at 8. Taking my sweet time to do my housework. Not really planning anything. Playing outside. Playing hooky from my blog and Facebook. Laughing. Watching movies. Going to soccer games. Hanging out with my visiting in-law's. Dias de campo and picnics at La Presa.

I knew it wasn't going to last forever, but I didn't think it would all be over so soon. It's only been four weeks!

But looking at my calendar today only confirmed my suspicions...School starts in just two weeks!

Ay Dios mio!

Time to start going to sleep at a decent hour and waking up early. Time to start making lists. Time to buy school supplies, backpacks, shoes and uniforms for all the kiddies.

Time to come back to the real world.

(Sigh!)

So...ready or not, here I come!

A little about me & you...

2011-07-29T22:30:00.005-05:00

I'm linking up today with my friend, Lisa of "From One Country to Another", who has come up with a list of questions so we can get to know each other better.

1. How long have you been with your husband?

Hubby and I have been married for 16 years! We met when I was 18, just about to turn 19. We dated for a year before getting married. I'm 36 now, so I've known my Hubby half of my life.

2. Can you remember one funny miscommunication because of language barriers?

We haven't had many misunderstandings due to language barriers, because we both speak Spanish. But there have been a few cultural disagreements, mostly about food! You can read about them in

The International Chocolate Milk Controversy

and

Coctel de Camarones (I really wish I had thought of a more clever title for this one.)

3. What State/City have you relocated to?

In October 2000, we moved to my Hubby's hometown: Yahualica, Jalisco. (A small town just north of Guadalajara.)

4. Do you and your husband have any children? If so, what ages?

Hubby and I have four gorgeous children: Hope 13, Nick 11, Ashley 8 and Jack 6. We would have six, but I miscarried twice before Hope was born.

5. What is one thing that your blogger friends don't know about you?

I'm not a natural redhead! My hair has run the gamut of "normal" colors from platinum blond to black and everything in between. Red being my favorite. I used to color my hair just for fun, but now I color my hair to cover the insane amount of gray hair that I have.

6. What are some of your favorite hobbies or past times?

Cooking. Baking. Talking about food. Writing. Reading. Laughing.

7. How did you stumble upon the (Mexpat) blogging community?

Shortly after I started my blog, I began to wonder if there were other like me...Gringos living in Mexico. I searched Google and found Theresa's "What do I do all day?" blog. She had a list of Mexpat blogs, so I visited each and every one and discovered even more Mexpats with each blog I visited. And the rest is history.

8. Have you learned something new about yourself during this whole process of moving to another country?

Not really. I already knew I was pretty darn awesome! But moving to Mexico confirmed to me just how brave, adventurous and open to new things I can be.

9. Something you love about Mexico and something you can't stand or miss living without.

I love the culture, the food, the history and the traditions.

I can't stand to see children not continue their educations past Elementary School or Junior High.

And I miss restaurants that serve pancakes for breakfast.

10. Did you know your in-laws before moving and has it been a big adjustment being closer to them?

Yes! My suegra visited the U.S. three times before we moved to Mexico; my suegro joined her on the last trip, which is when they brought us to Mexico. I also knew most of Hubby's siblings, except for one sister.

We lived with my in-laws for 3 years, so yes, it was a very big adjustment. I was not used to having so many people around and involved in our lives all day, every day. There were good days and there were bad days and days that I wanted to run back to the U.S. But looking back on it now, it was a HUGE learning experience and I wouldn't trade those three years for anything in the world.

We now rent a house three doors down and I love that we are able to interact with each other on a daily basis.

11. If you were going back to the States next week, where is the first place you would go, after seeing your family?

Disneyland!!!

Dia de Campo

2011-07-23T23:02:00.000-05:00

No, Dia de Campo isn't another holiday. But it should be and we should have one at least once a month. A dia de campo is a day spent out in the open-air, be it a picnic, a day at the ranch or just a day spent sight-seeing. For us it was all three rolled into one.

Before setting out for our Dia de Campo, Nicky and my 8 year old nephew modeled the lastest in Sombrero fashion.

Look! It has air conditioning!

First stop of the day was a small church in the nearby ranch community of La Cucharita. I learned so much about this church, why it was built and the story behind the patron saint La Virgen de La Cucharita. (Future Mi Mexico Monday post!)

As we were exiting the church and deciding where to head to next, we heard a few strains of happy music blaring from a small Mazda truck that could only mean one thing....

....Ice Cream!

We then continued on our merry way and as we drove around we saw lots and lots of cows!

Have I mentioned that how much I love cows? I would have loved to take this little guy home with me.

In between cow sightings, we passed by this small panteon (cemetery).

Then we finally reached our destination...El Arbol Bola. I think it looks like that big oak tree on the back of those special edition quarters from some years back. (I think it was the Connecticut quarter.)

Perfect place for picnic, don't you think?

After lunch, some chose to climb the enormous tree.

While others preferred to swing from them. Like father....

....like son.

I went for a walk, taking photographs of whatever caught my fancy. I thought this particular cactus paddle looked like a big foot with the tunas (prickly pears) being the toes.

Is this what an oasis looks like?

One of my favorite photos of the day and that's no bull! (Sorry, I couldn't resist!)

On our way home we stopped at yet another church. Didn't learn any interesting, but I did get this gorgeous shot.

Not a bad day at all!

Fragmented Fridays: Catching Up

2011-07-08T16:00:00.006-05:00

Hi friends! I know it's been a while since my last post and for that I apologize. Here's a little of what we've been up to lately...

*We adopted a new puppy! Two of them actually. My cuñada (sister-in-law) rescued these two cute little pups who were left to fend for themselves. She brought them to the kiddies so they could nurse them back to health. Of course, we all fell in love with them and have adopted them into our family.

Nick with Casper & Hope with Pingüi

*My washing machine broke. Again! You know that wishy-washy thingamajig in the middle of the washing machine that swooshes everything around? Well, it stopped swooshing and refused to finish washing my clothes, no matter how much I begged and pleaded with it. Not even a Fonzie fist bump worked. I had to wring out my clothes by hand, then wash and rinse them in my lavadero. I was so not happy! I was ready to call an excorist, a shaman or a bruja (witch) to come do a limpia on my house and appliances. But as always, Hubby was the voice of reason and reminded me that one of his uncles is a lavadora (washing machine) repairman. He's supposed to stop by later today.

*As if my washing machine breaking down wasn't bad enough, my camera also bit the dust. I can turn it on and take pictures, but you can't see anything on the screen because the pictures are too dark, with a reddish-blue tint to them. No bueno!

*My camera couldn't have picked a worse time to stop working, because this month I'm challenging myself to post a recipe or food related article every day for the month of July on my recipe blog. (Thank goodness for my son's Nintendo DSi!) I'm calling it 31 Days in My Cocina. I hope you'll stop by and say hi!

*Speaking of my recipes, today I received my free copy of the Gooseberry Patch cookbook "Homestyle in a Hurry", which includes one of MY recipes. If you look in the top right-hand corner, you'll see my name and location. How cool is that?!

*The school year is FINALLY over! Today was the last day of school! Woo-hoo! Hubby made the rounds this year and picked up Jack's constancia (diploma) from the Jardin de Niños (kindergarten), and Nick and Ashley's boletas (report cards) from the Primaria (elementary school). We both went to pick up Hope's report card at the Secundaria, along with our four kiddies and four of our nephews. That 8 kids ranging from ages 6 to 18! You should have seen the looks on everyone's faces when they saw us walking by. We could hear people whispering and counting to see how many kids we had. It was too funny and I really wish I'd had a camera to capture it all!

*In honor of today being Spanish Friday and the last day of school, I thought I'd share the Spanish version of the "No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers' dirty looks" song.

A-la-bio! A-la-bao! A-la-sim-bom-ba!
Las mochilas a volar,
Los maestros a la calle,
Y los niños a jugar!

*Linking up with Mrs. 4444 for Friday Fragments!

It's raining cars!

2011-06-24T18:49:00.000-05:00

My backyard!

"¡Se cayo un carro! ¡Se cayo un carro!", my mother-in-law shouted outside our bedroom window, startling both Hubby and I as we were waking up from our afternoon nap. We stared at each other trying to make sense of what my suegra was saying. No words were spoken, but it was obvious we were thinking the same thing. A falling car? From where? How is that possible? I know we had a pretty good rainstorm this afternoon and that car accidents are prone to happen, but a falling car?

We jumped out of bed and hopped to the door, trying to put our shoes on at the same time and slipping on the rain water that made it's way under our front door and halfway down our saguan (entranceway). As soon as Hubby opened the door, my suegra shouted, "¡Hubo un derrumbe y se cayo un carro!" (There was a landslide and a car fell!)

"¿Dónde?", asked Hubby. (Where?)

"En el canal." (In the canal.)

"¿El de aquí atrás?" (The one behind us?)

"¡Si!" (Yes!)

Hubby and the kiddies raced out the front door to my suegra's house, up the stairs to my brother-in-law's dental office and where we once lived, all to get a better look of the empty lot behind my house.

In less than a minute, Hubby raced back to our house and opened the back, unused (and unfinished) portion of our house. I followed Hubby up the stairs, curious as to what all of the commotion was about. Hubby directed my attention to our back window, where I saw that part of the contention wall - that is about 30 yards from my house - had crumbled, bringing with it a vehicle that was parked on the street above. Thankfully, no one was injured.

And now we wait to see if the rest of the wall doesn't come crumbling down as well.

This is Leslie Limón, reporting live from my backyard.

Dreaming of Summer

2011-06-23T22:00:00.000-05:00

The end of the Mexican school year is so close, I can almost taste it. While most kiddies in the U.S. are on their first or second week of vacation, and even though our calendars indicate that the Summer solstice began on Tuesday, my kiddies are still in school and will continue to be for another couple of weeks.

The school year here in Mexico runs a little long. If you factor in all of the national, local and religious holidays and festivities, not to mention the numerous classes and meetings the teachers attend every month, the extended school year makes sense. For example, this week Nick's class has the week off from school because his teacher is attending courses on how to be a better teacher.

Having one of the kiddies home from school, made this mamacita realize that she is in desperate need of a vacation from the hustle and bustle of all that is involved in getting four kiddies ready for school, picking them up and helping them with their homework.

I long for those days when I'll be able to sleep in until 8 and do all of the things I dream of every summer. Not that I'm one of those people that has to plan everything, but I do have a small list of things that I would like to do this summer. Call it my Summer Bucket List. Some of the activities on my list are things that we do every year, with a couple of new things thrown in as well.

My Summer Bucket List:

Family walks in the early evening, when the weather has cooled and Hubby has closed the shop, walking hand in hand to no particular destination, stopping every once and a while to smell the flowers.
Picnic at La Presa: A real picnic, with a checkered blanket laid out on the green grass and a picnic basket filled with goodies like fried chicken, potato salad and fresh-from-the-oven brownies. None of that buying a pollo rostisado (rotisserie chicken) on the way and eating it while seated in plastic chairs at a matching plastic table.
Camping indoors: Nothing says summer fun like setting up camp in your living room!
Trips to the Library: Yes, my small town does have a library and each of the kiddies has their very own library card. We don't visit the library much during the school year, because the schools also have a library where the kiddies get most of their books. But this summer I would like to make visiting the library a weekly outing. I remember how much I enjoyed walking to the library every week to check out a new stack of books to read during the summer.
Game Night: Sounds kind of cheesy, I know. But we love playing games like Turista (Mexican Monopoly), Loteria (Mexican Bingo), Uno, Old Maid and charades.
Movie Night: Perfect for those rainy summer nights, when the electricity doesn't go out. Everyone curled up on the couch in their pj's, lots of popcorn and the latest family-friendly DVD.
Summer Home-Schooling: Just because our summers are short, like only six or seven weeks long, doesn't mean that it's going to be all fun and games at the Limón house. No, señor! We wouldn't want them to forget all that they learned during the school year. So, for an hour (or two) a day, the kiddies will work on their three R's: reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic.
Romantic dinner: The last item on my list is just for me and Hubby. Our house has a back patio. It's where I hang my laundry to dry on the clothesline and where the kiddies keep their bikes and toys that are too big to keep in the house. It doesn't have much of a view because the sides are closed off by tall brick walls. But we do have a spectacular view of the sky, perfect setting for enjoying a candlelit dinner under the starry sky.

Sigh! Summer....I can't wait!

*Linking up this week with Mama Kat's Pretty Much World Famous Writer's Workshop.

Spanish Friday: El Dia E

2011-06-17T00:12:00.000-05:00

I'm blogging in Spanish today. If you don't speak (or read) Spanish, scroll down to the English translation.

Desde los primeros días de este blog, he jugado con la idea de hacer un vlog (un video blog). Queria que fuera algo donde me podrían ver y escuchar mi voz, pero tambien queria mostrarles que tan bien hablo el español. Nada mas que nunca pude decidir sobre que tema hacer el vlog.

El otro día unas amigas blogueras me platicaron de El Día E, que se celebrara este sábado 18 de junio. El Día E fue creado por el Instituto Cervantes para celebrar la lengua española y todos los que hablamos español. En honor a esta celebración, el Instituto Cervantes le pidió a personalidades como Antonio Banderas, Shakira y Gael Garcia Bernal que hicieran un video en donde comparten su palabra favorita.

Nos gusto tanto la idea que todas decidimos hacer lo mismo para Spanish Friday. Y los invitamos a todos ustedes hacer lo mismo. Suban su video a YouTube o a su blog y luego dejen el enlace en el Linky que encontraran al terminar este post.

Y ahora...damas y caballeros...les presento...mi primer vlog. Espero que les guste.

¿Cual es su palabra favorita?

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English Translation:
From the very first days of this blog, I've toyed with the idea of doing a vlog (a video blog). I wanted it to be something where you could see me and hear my voice, but I also wanted to show you how well I speak Spanish. But I could never decide what to vlog about.

The other day a couple of my bloggy friends told me about El Dia E (Day of Spanish) which takes place this Saturday, June 18th. El Dia E was created by the Cervantes Institute to celebrate the Spanish language and all of us who speak Spanish. In honor of this special celebration, The Cervantes Institute asked celebrities like Antonio Banderas, Shakira and Gael Garcia Bernal to make a video in which they share their favorite (Spanish) word.

We liked the idea so much, that we've decided to do the same thing for Spanish Friday. And we invite you to do the same. Post your video on YouTube or your blog, then enter the link in the Linky located at the end of this post.

And now...ladies and gentlemen...I present to you...My Very First Vlog. I hope you like it.

What's your favorite (Spanish) word?

Mi Mexico Monday: Block Party

2011-06-13T23:00:00.000-05:00

Templo de San Antonio

Put on your Sunday best my friends, because for today's Mi Mexico Monday I'm inviting everyone to a party. But not just any party, this party is for a Saint.

Every year, the nearby barrio of San Antonio hosts a week long kermesse (block party) in honor of Saint Anthony. Today (June 13th) is the most important and anticipated day of the festivities because it is Saint Anthony's feast day.

Like any good party, there were games.

Lots of delicious food Mexican food, like enchiladas, pozole, and tamales

Tacos, prepared by the church's youth group known as La Pandilla del Señor (The Lord's Gang).

Hotdogs.

Delicious bacon-wrapped hotdogs. Yum!

And elotes (corn).

And of course, plenty of cake for everyone.

Along with empanadas and donas (donuts) to enjoy with your cafecito (coffee).

And no kermesse would be complete without a castillo (a castle-like contraption with lots of spinning and exploding fireworks).


Building the castillo

Not only was the entire town celebrating Saint Anthony because of his feast day, but because El Dia de San Antonio is known in my small town as un dia llovedor (a rainy day). With the exception of the last couple of years, it has ALWAYS rained on Saint Anthony's feast day. I don't think there was a soul in town who wasn't hoping that the rains would start today.. Sadly, this is the third or fourth year that Saint Anthony hasn't blessed us with any rain. I guess it's time to pull out the big ~~guns~~ saints, but that's a story for another day.

Some interesting tidbits about San Antonio that I have learned over the years. He is the patron saint of animals. He is THE saint to turn to when looking for lost items. And he is the unofficial patron saint of las cotorras (spinsters/unmarried women). For years, women have prayed, begged and pleaded with Saint Anthony to bring them a husband. One common practice that was supposedly guaranteed to bring you a husband was to turn a figurine of Saint Anthony on his head. In recent years it has been revealed that doing so only results in getting the wrong kind of husband.

Hasta la proxima! (Until next time!)

Weekend Wrap-Up

2011-06-12T23:00:00.001-05:00

Hubby surprised us for the second Saturday in a row by announcing that he was closing the shop for the day and taking us swimming. Like any good mom/blogger I had my camera in hand at all times.

On our way to the albercas (swimming pools), we stopped at the gas station and saw this little trailer with about 3 horsepower. (Hehehe! Sorry bad joke, I know. I couldn't help myself.)

This particular horse was pretty entertaining. The kiddies would ask him questions like "Is that your girlfriend next to you?" and "Is that your mother-in-law behind you?" to which he would answer by nodding his head yes, giving us the evil eye or just flashing us a playful grin.

Soon after we left the gas station, we caught up with this mano de chango. Literally translated mano de chango means monkey's hand. Now I'm not big on technical speak, but I'm pretty sure that's not the actual name of this tractor contraption, also known as a back hoe.

During the drive, one can't help but see how dry everything is, including this charco (mini-reservoir) that always reminds me of a mini-Tenochtitlan when filled.

I really hope the rains start soon. I miss seeing my lush green mountainside.

The Rio Verde bridge. The sign that we've made it to our destination. The turn off to the swimming pools is right after the bridge, so drive slowly or you'll miss it.

Hubby cooling off in the kiddie pool. Just kidding. He's actually taking a shortcut to the "BIG" pool. The cement was too hot to walk on in bare feet.

The kiddies taking the same short cut.

Hope was smart, she took her shoes with her to every pool. No need for shortcuts.

Yours truly and my favorite 6 year old chillin' poolside.

I could end this post here, but I have a couple of more pics from this weekend that I want to share.

Today (Sunday), when we arrived at my suegra's for lunch, we were greeted by this lovely camisa de vibora (dried snake skin) that my brother-in-law found at El Rancho. Ay, ay, ay!

The rest of the day was pretty laid back. An eating watermelon on the sidewalk kind of day.

I don't know why Jack looks so sad in this picture.

Maybe it had something to do with the bee that landed on Hubby's watermelon. We don't like bees at all, but I couldn't resist taking this little guy's picture.

So, how was your weekend?

Good Idea. Bad Idea.

2011-06-11T07:00:00.005-05:00

Good idea:
Drawing tattoos on Hubby while he's sleeping. (It's good wholesome fun for the entire family, as well as a creative outlet for the kiddies' artistic abilities.)

Bad idea:
Letting Hubby continue to sleep in our bed on freshly laundered white sheets on one of the hottest night of the year.

My "new" tattoo motif sheets! :P

El Gringo

2011-06-09T21:06:00.139-05:00

There's another Gringo in town.

He's been here about as long as I have. Maybe even longer. I'm not really sure.

Our paths have crossed on a couple of occasions, but we've only exchanged pleasantries.

"Buenos dias."

"Buenas tardes."

"Adios."

"Good Morning."

Not to mention the occasional head nod from across the street.

At each chance encounter, we've never spoken more than a few words.

But the other day, something changed.

I ran into El Gringo on my way home from walking one of the kiddies to school.

Hellos were said, as were good morning greetings.

On any other day that would have been the extent of our exchange and we each would have continued on our merry way.

But this time was different. I wanted something more. I needed more.

And it wasn't because I felt the need to speak English to someone other than Hubby and my 20-something year old neighbors.

It was more than that.

So as we stood there under los portales, I asked him how he was and how the weather was treating him. El Gringo was kind enough to answer my questions and in turn asked me a couple of questions as well.

Small talk, I know. But it was a start. I did manage to learn a couple of things about him. Maybe next time I might even learn his name.

To quote Humphrey Bogart, " I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

Springing a leak

2011-06-08T20:43:00.003-05:00

Walking around my bedroom this afternoon, I felt something wet under my bare feet. I figured that one of the kiddies had spilled some water, but as I continued around the room, I saw that it was a huge puddle that couldn't have been the kiddies' doing. My first thought was that it was a leak. But that really didn't make any sense, because it wasn't even raining. I wish it were raining, but it's not.

I glanced up anyway and saw that I had deduced correctly. My bedroom ceiling had sprung a leak.

My leaky bedroom ceiling

The kiddies ran to the shop to relay the news to Hubby, who came running to the bedroom accompanied by our two college student nephews. I showed them the puddle in the middle of our bedroom and then I pointed to the leaky ceiling right above it. Seeing as that it wasn't raining at the moment, the general consensus was that our tinaco (water storage thingamajig) that sits on the roof had sprung a leak.

Hubby and our nephews climbed onto the roof to get a closer look and to see if any major damage had been done to our roof. I didn't want to have to worry about my roof collapsing in the middle of the night. (Have I mentioned that my oldest nephew is studying to be an architect?)

Once on the roof, the men saw that there was no leak nor any danger of my roof caving in. It was actually a minor malfunction. The flotador (float doo-hickey) wasn't working, and since this particular tinaco is constantly being filled with water from our other tinaco, the water spilled onto the roof and into my bedroom.

Hubby and my nephews removed a couple of buckets of water from the tinaco so that it wouldn't continue to spill water everywhere and then they repaired the flotador. First thing tomorrow morning, Suegro (father-in-law) will patch the roof so the leaking doesn't continue during rain season and this entire problem will have been solved. I hope.

Now about those buckets of water...

The kiddies had been complaining all afternoon about the heat, so Hubby and the sobrinos (nephews) decided to help them cool off.

Another fun day at the Limón household!

The Waiting Game

2011-06-06T21:50:00.001-05:00

One Month Ago:
Nick came home from school with great news. His teacher had submitted his name as a candidate for the school's escolta.

Being part of the escolta is a huge honor. Only six or seven of the smartest soon-to-be 6th graders are accepted. It is their job to escort the flag during every school assembly, parade and almost every other civic ceremony held outside of school. Nick has been wanting to be part of the escolta since 1st grade.

Three Weeks Ago:
The Phys. Ed. teacher, who would have final say in who would be part of the escolta, informed the students that if they wanted to be part of the escolta, they had to know how to march. Not content with just practicing at school, Nick practiced all through the house, on the sidewalk and even in Hubby's shop. (He showed great improvement from this first rehearsal.)

Two Weeks Ago:
The Phys. Ed. teacher sent home a note to inform an elite group of parents that there would be a meeting on May 31st to discuss the escolta. Was this it? Was this the note we had been waiting for, informing us that our son was one of the chosen few? That's what many of us hoped for!

Last Week:
May 31st to be exact, I picked up Jack from kindergarten and went to Nick's school for "the meeting". It was just me and three other moms. We waited just outside el cancel (wrought iron gate) for the Phys. Ed. teacher We peaked into la direccion (the principle's office) to see if el director knew anything, but the office was empty. After about 5 minutes, Nick's teacher let us into the school, so we could sit and wait for el maestro. We waited and waited and waited. Thirty minutes had passed and still no sign of el maestro. It was then that the other 5th grade teacher informed us that el maestro only works on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and that maybe we got our dates confused. We promptly showed him the note that clearly stated May 31st at 12 noon. The teacher then suggested that it was el maestro who got the dates confused and that we should try again tomorrow at the same time.   A couple of the other moms argued that they wouldn't bother to show up, saying something about having a life and better things to do.

The next day was Hubby's turn to pick up Jack. Before he left, I suggested that he stop by Nick's school on the way back, on the off chance that the meeting was being held. I would've felt terrible if Nick had been excluded due to a lack of interest on the parents' behalf.

Sure enough and just as I had suspected, the meeting was in session. Turns out that the person who typed up the note was the one who mixed up the dates, not el maestro. The Phys. Ed. teacher informed the parents that he wasn't even close to making a decision, because he was still in the process of testing the kids' marching abilities. One mom argued that her daughter and Nick should be shoe-ins for the escolta since they are the 5th graders with the highest grade point average (GPA). She also argued that it was common knowledge that only the smartest kids in school get to be part of the escolta, who are then taught how to march. The Phys. Ed. teacher then informed the group of parents that if the school only chose the highest GPA's, then only the kids' in Nick's class would be in the escolta and that the school needed to be fair and include students from both 5th grade classes. After almost an hour of back and forth arguments between the Phys. Ed. teacher and the parents, Hubby suggested that el maestro make his choice by Friday, that way he could focus his time on practicing marching drills with the escolta.

For the rest of the week, I was a ball of nerves. I wanted Nick to be part of the escolta because this is what he has wanted and worked very hard for since he was in 1st grade. Thankfully I had two parent-teacher conferences with Hope and Ashley's teachers to keep my mind occupied on Thursday. But by Friday, I couldn't think of anything else. To make matters worse, it was a half day at school, so there was a small chance that el maestro wouldn't make a decision until the following week. Ay Dios Mio!

Glass half-full kind of gal that I am, I tried to stay positive. But there was a teeny, tiny part of me that wondered how I would console Nick if he weren't accepted. Just when I felt like I couldn't wait another minute to find out, Nick walked in the upholstery shop, head down and shoulders drooping, looking like he had lost his best friend. My heart broke into a thousand pieces at the sight of him. I stood up to wrap my arms around him, but before I could, he looked up with those sad eyes that seemed to light up at the sight of me, he flashed me an ear to ear grin and said "Estoy en la escolta!" (I'm in the escolta!)

My heart skipped a beat and my eyes filled with tears. Tears of joy and happiness.

Words can't express how proud I am of my son.

Felicidades, Nick!

Everything you ever wanted to know about Pitayas

2011-05-31T19:30:00.328-05:00

Today is the last day of May and that can only mean two things:

The sticky, stuffy, can't breathe, eat or sleep heatwave is down to its last weeks. Rain season should be here soon, offering relief from the unbearable, mid-90 degree temperatures that are the highest temps my small town has seen in 50 years (or so I'm told).
Pitaya season is also coming to an end. (Hangs head in extreme sadness)

What is a pitaya?
For those of you that are unfamiliar with Pitayas, they are a delicious cactus fruit only available during the hottest month of the year, which happens to be May, where I live.

Not to be confused with tunas (prickly pears), Pitayas are the sweet, sometimes sour, fruit of the organ pipe cactus, also known as a pitayo.

A Pitayo Cactus

This particular pitayo is located at El Rancho and is at least 100 years old. During our Semana Santa camping trip, you could already see the pitayas starting to bloom.

Pitayo in bloom

Pitaya Picking 101
Now that you know what pitayas are, you may be wondering how the pitaya gets from the cactus to the market or in my case, my front door.

Campesinos (farmers/farm workers), wake up before dawn to start picking pitayas. You see, as the sun rises, the ripe pitayas open up, attracting the attention of the early birds looking for the proverbial worm. But that old saying has it all wrong. It should be, "The early bird catches the pitaya."

Pitayas are covered with hundreds of thin, little needles that serve to protect the fruit from birds and animals. These espinas can make pitaya picking rather difficult. Most campesinos use a rustic tool that they fashion out of dried reeds. Locally this tool is called a chicole.

Chicole hanging on the wall at El Rancho

Since pitayos can grow to be several meters high, most chicoles are very long. The tip of the chicole is separated into three or four sections, creating a sort of nest or basket for a single pitaya to fit into snuggly.

Again, organ pipe cacti are very tall and it's darn near impossible for the campesinos who are standing underneath the cactus to see whether or not a certain pitaya is ripe. A ripe pitaya can be easily plucked from the cactus when touched with the chicole. Unripe pitayas can't be budged.

The pitayas are then placed in a large basket and the small group of campesinos head to town in the back of a pick-up truck. During the drive in to town, the campesinos remove all of the needles from the pitayas.

Basket full of freshly picked pitayas

The pitayas are then carefully stacked inside a large basket called a quilihua and are now ready to be sold to the public.

Quilihua filled with pitayas

Prices vary from town to town. The average price here is about 5 or 6 pesos per pitaya, which isn't expensive considering all of the hard work involved. Some pitayeros (pitaya vendors) prefer to sell door to door. If you happen to be a preferred customer who buys large quantities of pitayas, like 30 to 40 at a time, the price drops down to 3 pesos per pitaya. Not bad considering that they are delivered right to my your front door.

How to eat a pitaya
Underneath the hundreds of needles, pitayas are also protected by their cascara (peel). To eat your pitaya, one must carefully remove the peel. I say "carefully", because many times you'll find a stray needle or two in each pitaya.

Pitaya con cascara

Removing the cascara is our favorite part of sitting down to enjoy a pitaya. We are always amazed to see the assortment of brightly colored fruits. Pitayas come in various shades of yellow, orange, red, purple and pink. The rarest of all is the white pitaya.

As for texture, I liken pitayas to kiwis. Maybe it's because of the tiny black seeds.

Pitayas for the most part are sweet. The first pitayas of the season tend to be more sour, as are the white ones. It is this blogger's opinion that the yellow and orange pitayas are the sweetest and best tasting pitayas of all.

Pitayas are one of the rare fruits that are eaten without salt and lime juice. Pitayas can also be used to make agua fresca, sorbet or almibar (syrup) for nieve raspada (snow cones).

And now you know just about everything there is to know about pitayas.

*Note: A very special Thank You to my Hubby, my suegro and my brother-in-law Gerry for sharing this valuable information that they learned from first-hand experience about pitayas.

Stop the insanity!

2011-05-25T15:30:00.003-05:00

Albert Einstein once described insanity as "doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

I've always loved that quote, but never thought that it would ever apply to me. But this afternoon, I came to the realization that that is exactly what I have been doing this month.

It's 2:35 pm. We've finished our lunch. The kiddies are enjoying their TV time. And Hubby is fast asleep, taking full advantage of Mexico's 2-hour lunch break. I am sitting at my computer, reading my emails, catching up with the latest happenings on Facebook and Twitter and getting ready to write a much needed blog post. As much as I love blogging, I really haven't had much time to write this month. But today is the day. I don't care what happens, I am going to write a blog post, TODAY!

I glance over my shoulder and notice Hubby sleeping soundly on the bed behind me. He looks so comfortable. I wish I could take a nap too. I've been up since six and could really use a nap. It's so hot and my legs and feet are killing me. It would just be a little nap. I can blog later. I know I've said that to myself everyday this month, but this time I really mean it. I'll find a way to make some time to write a blog post today, even if I have to stay up until after midnight to do so.

As I lay down next to Hubby, I make a mental run through of the rest of my day, trying to figure out just when I'll have some free time to write.

"As soon as I wake up, I have to help the kiddies with their homework. Then I need to do the dishes and clean the kitchen. Of course, by the time I'm done, the living room will be a mess, so I'll need to clean that up as well. Then I need to run next door to the cyber to print something up for one of Hope's homework assignments. When I get back, I need to make sure all of the kiddies take a shower. I'll fold and put away the laundry while the kids are doing that. Hubby's been pretty busy in the shop this week, I'm pretty sure he'll need my help for a little bit. After that, it'll be time for dinner. Then I'll need to clean the dining room and kitchen AGAIN. I should be done just in time to watch Oprah's last show at eight. I'll send the kiddies to bed at nine and spend a little time with Hubby. I should be able to get on the computer at around ten. Not bad. See? I can do this!"

Then of course, my own mind starts to play devil's advocate.

"Leslie, you're gonna be too wound up to write. Or your brain is going to be completely fried. You're going to need to spend at least thirty minutes on Facebook just to relax. And by then, you'll just be too tired. You'll go to bed, promising yourself that you'll write tomorrow."

And that's when it hit me. I've been doing the same thing, over and over, all month long hoping for different results. That's just insane!

So, I jumped out of bed and decided to break the cycle. It's time to stop the insanity and write that blog post.

And would you look at the time! If I hit "Publish" now, I can still catch a little shut-eye before 4.

If you give a kid a camera...

2011-05-18T22:00:00.001-05:00

What happens when you let your kiddies use your camera?

I'm not really sure. But it did involve them dressing up their little brother in various costumes and capturing it all on film!

No big brothers were harmed in the taking of these pictures.

Spanish Friday: Name That Tune

2011-05-13T10:30:00.000-05:00

I'm linking up, once again with my friend Tracy from Latinaish for Spanish Friday. Don't speak or read Spanish? Not a problem. Scroll down for the English version.

Cuando recién llegue a México, había un programa de televisión que me gustaba ver. Era un programa de concursos que se llamaba Gente con Chispa, conducido por el guapísimo Alan Tacher. En el programa concursaban celebridades como actores de telenovelas, cantantes y deportistas famosos.

Poco tiempo despues, el programa salió del aire y yo ya la tenia olvidada. Hasta el día de ayer. Mi hijo menor encontró el reproductor de MP3 de su hermana mayor. Jack se puso los audífonos y se puso a cantar a todo pulmon. No se le entendía nada de lo que estaba cantando, pero me causaba mucha risa. Ya tenia tiempo que no me reía tanto.

Escuchar a Jack cantar, me recordó de uno de los juegos de Gente con Chispa. En el programa, había un juego donde dos niños de unos 7 a 9 años de edad participaban. Al igual que Jack, se ponían los audífonos y cantaban en voz alta y no se les entendía nada. Los famosos tenían que adivinar que canción estaban cantando. A veces era muy fácil adivinar la canción, pero la mayor parte del tiempo, nadie sabia de que canción se trataba.

Para darles una idea de lo que hablo, pensé que seria divertido jugar a Adivina La Canción con mi hijo, Jack. Se los deje super facil. Si no adivinan esta canción, viven en otro planeta o no tienen niños adolescentes en casa.

¿Pueden Adivinar La Cancion?

English Version:

When I first moved to Mexico, there was a t.v. show that I liked to watch. It was a game show called Gente con Chispa, hosted by the very handsome Alan Tacher. The competing contestants were celebrities: soap opera actors, singers and famous sports stars.

Some time later, the show was taken off the air and I had completely forgotten all about it. Until yesterday. My youngest son, Jack, found his big sister’s MP3 player. He put on the headphones and started singing at the top of his lungs. You couldn’t understand a word he was saying, but it was so funny. I hadn’t laughed so hard in a long time.

Hearing Jack sing, reminded me of one of the games played on Gente con Chispa. Two little kids, who were about 7 to 9 years old, would put headphones on and sing out loud. And just like Jack, you couldn’t understand a word the two kids were singing. The celebrities had to guess what song the kids were singing. Sometimes it was pretty easy to guess the song, but more often than not, nobody had a clue as to what song they were singing.

To give you a better idea of what I’m talking about, I thought it would be fun if we played a game of Name That Tune with my son, Jack. I’ve given you a super easy song. If you can’t guess what song it is, you either live on another planet or you don’t have any adolescent children at home.

So…can you Name That Tune?

Mi Mexico Monday: What My Town is Missing

2011-05-09T00:00:00.003-05:00

For Mi Mexico Monday, I usually share my favorite places in town, showing you the best of what my town has to offer. But this week, I'm going to do things a little differently...I'm going to tell you about one thing my town doesn't have.

When I first moved to Mexico, I could not get over the fact that our small town lacked something so vital and important to any city or town, no matter how small.

Are you sitting down? I sure hope you are because what I am about to tell you is going to come as quite a shock, especially to my friends that live NOB (North of the border).

My town doesn't have a fire department.

A FIRE DEPARTMENT!!!

No fire stations. No firetrucks. No firemen or women.

I once asked why we don't have a fire department and was told that it's because the houses here are made of brick and cement, as opposed to the houses in the U.S. that are made of wood and other highly flammable materials. Brick houses don't burn. No need for a fire department.

Well, after the most recent fire, which was the 6th or 7th in the ten years that I've lived here, I'd say that theory went up in smoke.

Famous Readers

2011-04-28T16:10:00.001-05:00

Somebody pinch me, please!

I must be dreaming.

Really!

Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that a certain someone, who just happens to be the richest man in the world and owner of Mexico's largest phone company, would read my blog.

But after yesterday's blog post, I'm pretty sure he does.

How else do you explain the phone/internet lines here in town getting repaired just hours after I wrote about them being down?

It's Carlos Slim, I'm telling you. He's the only person who could have gotten anyone to work during Semana de Pascua. He read my cry for help and made a call.

Wow! Carlos Slim actually reads my blog.

Maybe I should mention that I would really love an Ipad.

Blogger in Exile

2011-04-27T12:43:00.001-05:00

Last week, I was more than happy to take the week off for some much needed rest and relaxation.

But this week, I am being forced to take an extended vacation. Phone/internet lines are down all over town, thanks to a small fire that broke out earlier this week. Even the wi-fi on my Kindle was down for a couple of days.

I'm not sure how long this outage will last, because it is Semana de pascua (Easter week) and many people are still on vacation, including the good folks over at Telmex, I'm sure. We shall see.

So in the meantime, I will be here at home, in exile, with no way of communicating with the outside world. Yes, I realize that I have my Kindle, but that last sentence wouldn't sound as dramatic had I mentioned it.

See you soon. I hope.

Taking a Break...

2011-04-20T21:07:00.000-05:00

Just thought I'd let you all know that I am going to take a bloggy/internet break this week to spend more time with my family and to enjoy the Holy Week festivities. I will be back next week with lots of pics and posts. Stay safe. And have a Happy Easter! :)

Everything but the kitchen sink...

2011-04-17T23:00:00.009-05:00

I didn't do such a great job last week of keeping everyone updated on what's going on in our lives. I'm going to blame it on Daylight Savings. It really kicked my butt last week. But now that the kiddies are on Spring Break, I'm hoping that I'll get my groove back.

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As I just mentioned, Spring Break has begun. I love the fact that Spring Break in Mexico is still a very religious holiday and that it's still referred to as Vacaciones de Semana Santa (Holy Week vacation) and not Spring Break/Holiday.

If you want to know how Easter is celebrated in my pueblito, take a look at one of my very first posts: Good Friday.

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My knee is almost back to normal. (In case you didn't read Home Alone, I have been nursing an old cheerleading injury that acts up from time to time.) Over the counter pain meds did absolutely nothing for the pain and discomfort I was feeling, but oddly enough, antibiotics did. Never in a million years would I have guessed that I had an infection in my knee.

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I am not the only person in our house who is nursing an injury. Hubby twisted his ankle the other day. I told him he needed to rest and shouldn't even think about riding his bike, until his ankle is feeling better. BUT he didn't listen to me. He went on a bike ride with our teenage nephews and some of his biking buddies. Well, he forgot about his sore ankle and used his shoe clips. Everything was fine, until he tried to unfasten his foot from the clip/pedal. He couldn't twist his ankle to unbuckle his foot, so he ended up taking a pretty nasty tumble. Poor guy! Maybe next time he'll listen to me.

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Speaking of Hubby, he is the greatest husband in the whole wide world. Seeing as Santa forgot about my special request, Hubby picked me up a little something at the pharmacy this week...

Rechargeable batteries! I, of course, couldn't be happier.

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We finally got our truck fixed. It was something to do with the clutch, I just can't remember the name of the part that broke. Anyway, the parts cost 2000 pesos and the labor was another 600 pesos. A little less than 250 U.S. dollars.

Our mechanic came to pick up our truck and left his bike for us to watch until he returned our truck.

I wonder, is this common practice in the U.S.?

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My recipe blog turns 2 years old on Tuesday, so be sure to stop by and say "Hola!"

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How was your week? Did I miss anything?

Spanish Friday: Age is in the eye of the beholder

2011-04-15T15:00:00.008-05:00

I'm linking up, once again with my friend Tracy from Latinaish for Spanish Friday. Don't speak or read Spanish? Not a problem. Scroll down for the English version.

Esta mañana, mientras limpiaba los cajones de mi cocina, encontré unos tazos que mis hijos tenían olvidados. Los deje en el pretil, sabiendo que Jack iba a querer jugar con ellos en cuanto llegara del kínder.

“Mijo ¿Qué crees que encontré hoy?”

“¿Dinero?”

“No. Encontré unos tazos.”

“¿Cuántos encontraste?”

“No se. ¿Por qué no los cuentas?”

Jack conto los tazos en silencio y luego grito, “¡Mamá tengo tantos tazos como tu años!”

“¿De veras? ¿A poco había tantos tazos?

“Si. Mira. Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez, once, doce, trece, catorce, quince.”

Jack dejo de contar y volteo a mirarme, “Ves Mamí. Quince tazos, igual que tus años.”

Que niño tan listo ¿no creen?

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English Translation:

This morning, as I was cleaning out my kitchen drawers, I came across a couple of tazos (milk caps) that my kiddies had forgotten about. I left them on the counter, knowing that Jack would want to play with them when he got home from kindergarten.

"Mijo, guess what I found today?"

"Money?"

"No. I found a couple of tazos."

"How many did you find?"

"I don't know. Why don't you count them?"

Jack silently counted the tazos, then blurted out, "Mom, I have as many tazos as you've had birthdays!"

"Really? There were that many tazos?"

"Yes. Look. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen."

Jack stopped counting and turned to look at me, "See Mommy, fifteen tazos. Just like your age."

Smart kid, don't you think?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-12T22:40:00.004-05:00

Peek-a-boo!