December just began!

We haven't posted much. This month is one of the craziest one every year. So here are some pictures of this month. Ian waiting for Nicky last day at school before her vacation. That's right he was smelling his sucks...that's my boy. In Nicky's last day of school they made them wear their PJ's and gave them hot chocolate and cookies while a teacher read them a story. Here is Nicky with her teacher Mrs. Kappulea.

My niece's b-day was also in December. My sister threw a fun party for her. Nicky got to hit the pinata for the second time. It was actually her first time enjoying this. Ian on the other hand had his first time to hit the pinata and he LOVED IT!

Then Christmas Eve. You see in Mexico we do the big feast on Christmas Eve and on Christmas we open the presents and re-heat the same feast. Nobody gets stressed, and everybody keeps their PJ's on. We kind of do the same thing in our little family. I made the table very fancy and I cooked Smoked Turkey (well, Glenn did it). I made the rolls, apple pie, fruit, vegetables to dip, and funeral potatoes. We also had eggnoog, and floats. My sister brought mexican beef to make some tacos (I was craving them so badly) and empanadas with caramel inside (she knows those are my favorite). We also had sparkling grape juice. We ate like it was the last dinner of our lives. Then we built the ginger bread house and train with the kids. We (the ladies) made the house. The boys on the other hand made a train. The kids were decorating and eating the masterpieces. We had so much fun doing this. After that we put on the traditional Nativity play. Nicky was an angel, Ian and Merary were shepherds. I was a very preagnet Mary and Glenn was Joseph. My brother in-law Beto and my sis Dina were the 2 wisemen (we kind of missed one of them). After that Glenn opened his present from me early so everybody could play the Wii; it was indeed a very good hit that night. The kids looooved it. Glenn and Beto had a blast. My sis and I were cleaning up and you know separating meals to go etc. After that the kids went to bed and my sis and her family went back to their house.

Next day we opened the presents. Ian was the most excited with his new table. He got lots of trains and trucks, he also got a bike. Nicky got a huge house for her and also her dream princess bike. She got lots of fun things like dolls, clothes, necklaces, a princes game to play in dadys Wii, a cd player, and a karaoke princes machine so she can sing and EVERYBODY CAN HEAR HER. Both of them got new dishes of their favorite movie characters, puzzles, guns that shoot disks and also tents of their favorite characters too. That same day after putting everything away and eating we went to visit my sister in-law in Forth Worth. We got the chance to met baby Sabrina, who is by the way so adorable. We let our kids play and get to know each other a little bit better. Nicky had thrown up when we arrived to the house. She was so embarassed, she told Glenn she didn't want to get in the house because she didn't want anybody to see her like that. So I changed her into her PJ's. Nicky does care about her looks.

We returned home just on time to celebrate our annivesary. 5 YEARS! YIPPY!!. These five years has been the most important and happy in ALL MY LIFE. THANK YOU BABE FOR BEING THE BEST HUSBAND EVER. YOU ARE INDEED MY OTHER HALF AND EVERYDAY I'M SO HAPPY THAT WE ARE WORKING AND GROWING OLD TOGETHER (TE AMO NENE, ERES EL MEJOR DEFINTIVAMENTE EL MEJOR. SOY MUY AFORTUNADA AL TENERTE A MI LADO).

Glenn made a special fancy dinner for the both of us right after we laid the kids down. He also got me a very nice card and a funny movie. He actually surpised me with the movie. He knows it's one of my favorites because I laugh so bad everytime I see it. I would never buy it. Why should I? They show it on tv all the time. I was laughing so bad when I saw he bought it. He also bought some strawberries dipped in chocolate. They were just perfect to finish the dinner.

Well, until next time, and I hope all of you had a great Christmas and we wish you a very Happy New Year!

Inspiration or Competition?

I know my son Ian is a competitive child. I knew it since day one. Nicky on the other hand never showed interest or that "talent." I know some people must think competitive children are the best. Well in my case I think we should always do the best we can just because we want to be better and not because we want to brag that we are better than somebody else.

A few days ago Glenn and I took the kids to

the neighbors' houses to give some treats. Nicky wanted to sing a song by herself so she did it. That night was just very Christmasy I guess since it was freezing. When we stopped at the Galloways place,Amanda was so nice that she let us get into her house so Nicky could sing inside instead of outside. Nicky was happy to do it like that. Then their oldest girl Taylin was so happy because she was now officially a big girl since she took a bath ALL BY HERSELF! We all told her that she was indeed a big girl and how proud we felt to have her as a friend. We finished the visit and kept going on with our lives.

Yesterday we were running late for the kids' picture appointment. I told Glenn that while I was showering the kids he could go and make a light breakfast for them. Well to my surprise Nicky refused to receive help. She told me she wanted to do it ALL BY HERSELF. So I let her do it. While I was pouring shampoo on Ian's head Nicky was doing the same and while I was foaming his body Nicky was doing the same too. She was just following me step by step. At the end I guess I saved like 10 minutes. Then Glenn came upstairs and wanted to help Nicky to dry and get ready. Nicky again refused it and wanted to do it all by herself. She was done and Glenn and I told her we were so proud of her that we weren't expecting her to do that until she was older. She answered us back with this sentence. "YEAH I'M A BIG GIRL TOO. NEXT TIME I SEE TAYLIN I'LL TELL HER THAT I CAN TAKE A BATH BY MYSELF TOO." Glenn and I looked at each other, then later talked about it. I told him that I was glad and impressed that she wanted to do it by herself. She is indeed growing up. But I wasn't expecting her to say she was doing it because of somebody else. Glenn told me that it is interesting since we had never mentioned that subject at home or anything like that. We had no idea. Then I realized how important being competitive has always been to Ian being behind as "the baby" (that's going to change very soon). He loves being at the same level as the older children, especially boys. He is always competing with Nicky in everything. Nicky never showed interest in this because she is always ahead of Ian, so why should she worry? Since she started pre-k she has been progressing in the language and other things, too. She has never mentioned, though, "OH I'M DOING IT BECAUSE SO-AND-SO CAN DO IT TOO." Now I get it. She has been talking about how she can't wait to be 5 because she is barely 4, and how big she is going to become when she turns 5 etc., etc. I'm assuming that she just barely noticed that Taylin is 5 and she is just 4 and wants to do what her friend can do? ... I don't know, I'm still trying to resolve this puzzle. One thing is for sure: Even though I never have liked competitive people, I'm so glad that Nicky wanted to do this. She can brush her teeth, put her clothes on, go potty, and bathe herself; and all this just right before I have another girl ... YAY for her and YIPPY for me! I just need to teach her how to pour cereal in her bowl and she is ready to survive in this house lol (J/K).

We have done lots of things. I'm so glad my wonderful husband has posted some of the latest tidbits that we have done.
I think my husband forgot to mention that my princess ran a race. She probably was last, but she got a medal. She was so happy with her medal and so proud of herself. She kept telling me "MAMA, I RAN VERY WELL." Poor girl, though, because we didn't have time to train or anything. I wasn't feeling well at that time. However I did what I could to let her have that experience. Glenn couldn't be with us that day. She also participated in the Christmas program at her school. She sang three songs and she did magnificently. The only problem was that I could tell she was sad since she didn't see Glenn and Ian with me (I was in the first row taking pictures and videos). As soon as she saw them she was so happy. I had promised her that Glenn was going to be there, and he was. We also had the opportunity to go as a family to the Christmas activity at church. They did a terrific job this year. Everything looked great and the food MMM! Wonderful. Santa had the perfect spot, and it was very well decorated. Nicky asked Santa for her much awaited PRINCESS BIKE, while Ian was assuring Santa that he had been "good" all year. I love when Ian wants to behave all tough. We asked him to say hello to Santa and with his tough voice repeated, "HELLO, SANTA." After the questions, if he has being good, etc. etc., we asked him to smile for the camera and he was holding back his smile. He is such a silly boy.

Anyway, as everybody knows, I'm feeling very good. So we decided to make some cookies for the neighbors and some candy canes with reindeer's faces. My candy canes looked more like cats or chihuahuas with two antennas, not reindeer at all. The cookies, well, I didn't want to abuse my good health, so Glenn was the one who made them (kind of...I bought the dough in cut shapes already). He actually just needed to cook them.

Yesterday we went to our friends' and also neighbors' apartments and gave away the treats while Nicky was singing solo "WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS." She wasn't shy at all. We are so proud of her. Ian on the other hand was the one who would give the treats. The night was very cold, but we really enjoyed doing that as a family home evening. Nicky said she loved the experience. Ian just kept making his noise when he gets cold: BRRRRR!

We finally got our vacuum back. We'll see if is working correctly tomorrow. We went to Killen and let the kids run around Toys R' Us. It was funny when I asked Nicky, "SO NICKY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BUY THIS (pointed to a toy)?" Then she would answered me back, "MMM, IT'S VERY PRETTY MOM, BUT I THINK IT'S TO EXPENSIVE." Glenn and I were laughing about it. Then she saw something that she really wanted (and it was also very expensive), and told me "LOOK, MOM! LOOK AT THIS! ISN'T IT BEAUTIFUL? AND IT'S NOT EXPENSIVE AT ALL." She definitely cracks me up. She thinks she can be very subtle lol.

Ian has started to ask "BUT WHY?" for everything, and then after lots of explanation he always says the same, "WHAT?" It doesn't matter what, for example I'll say, "IAN IT'S TIME TO GO TO SLEEP." (Ian) "BUT, WHY?" "IAN STOP BOTHERING NICKY." (Ian) "BUT WHY?" "SHE IS YOUR SISTER, SO YOU SHOULDN'T BOTHER HER." (Ian) "WHAT?" I don't think he knows what "what?" means, but he surely tries and uses it well.

I'm getting tired. Anyway Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL. I'll be posting later about ours.

Claudia

The Rivalry Begins and British Frustration with Elmo

Two quick cute stories from our most recent adventures:

1. Background- Ian is very competitive, and Nicky, though very sweet, is still the little princess and likes to get her way. Nicky has learned and is still practicing 3 Christmas songs for her preschool Christmas presentation. We all know them by heart now, too. :) She also sings a song about a firetruck that isn't too exciting, which we're sure she learned at her evangelical preschool as well, (lyrics, "I love the firetruck" repeat three times, ended with "of the Lord!"). We're still wondering where this sacred fire station is. Ian loves the firetruck song because he sings along with her, mostly the end part "of the Lord!" Are our children blasphemous? We're working on it, but anyway, on the way back from a trip the other day, Nicky was belting out her chorus of Christmas songs for the 9th time. Ian asked her, then told her, then yelled for her to sing the firetruck song. Nicky, the little princess, did not want to sing the firetruck song again and continued another round of her Christmas songs. Ian then pulled out his "momma's boy" card, and cutely turned towards Claudia, and in his super-cute-little-boy voice mumbled, "Mama, gibberish gibberish Nicky no gibberish gibberish, FIRETRUCK peese [please]." Ah, yes, let the rivalry begin. Nicky didn't care either way and just kept singing.

2. Last night Ian struggled to sleep well and so Claudia brought him to sleep with us. He sometimes mumbles a bit in his sleep. He is also picking up a bunch of vocabulary from the Thomas the Train show, including little British phrases, his favorite of which expresses frustration, saying, "Bother, [name of someone]!" He does this to just about all his toys, and occasionally us. However, he had a cross over of t.v. shows during his sleep, mumbling, "Bother, Elmo!" He has just recently seen a few episodes of Elmo, and loves him, but apparently in his sleep Elmo got on his bad side. Oh, well. Hope you're not finishing this entry by saying, "Bother, Glenn!" (Ian does say "Bother, daddy!" quite a lot, but hey, I'm changing a lot of his diapers now). Take care, Merry Christmas everybody!

Just one little thing.

I have nothing more to say but I'M FEELING GOOD! YAY! first pregnancy ever that I'm enjoying.

Thanksgiving, so count blessings, stop whining

In honor of the great holiday that has just passed us by (nothing like getting yourself real grateful in preparation for receiving gifts, eh?), I'd like to stop my whining about the loveliness of residency applications and interviewing, and count some blessings. First off, we had a great Thanksgiving at the Chapman's ranch. We ate great food, played a bit on a Nintendo Wii (sweet!), shot .22 rifles and handguns (my 5 month pregnant wife packing heat...welcome to Texas!), and got to visit with some good friends. Thanks for the invite, Chapmans!

Now, on to the thankfulness/gratitude. I consider myself extremely fortunate and blessed. I do not at all consider myself deserving of the great life I have and all the joy I experience. I lack nothing, absolutely nothing, and have been helped along in my life every step of the way and continue to feel the Lord's helping hand continually in my life. To name a few blessings:


1. My testimony of Jesus Christ, Heavenly Father, and Their true Church
2. The most fantastic, gorgeous wife in the whole world
3. Two beautiful, healthy, and challenging children with another one on the way
4. Health, strength, daily necessities
5. Live in a great country where I can enjoy #1-3 freely
6. Loving parents and extended family...well, most of the extended family (you know how it is) :)7. Opportunity to study and work in a field that I find fascinating and satisfying...now, I just have to match into a residency spot!
8. Friends who are supportive and understanding...even when I whine (and boy, am I good at it!) 9. Texas: affordable cost of living, socially conservative, and hey, you can shoot guns!
10. Being happy because I have all of the above in my life


And many, many more. Really, life is full of things for which we should be grateful. Even those who have so much "less" than we think give thanks to the Lord for their abundance. What a great holiday! To be grateful and count your blessings. Even when things are hard, it's such a sure fire way to feel better and take things in with the right attitude, that being, an attitude of gratitude (thanks, President Monson, for the couplet). :) Thanks to you all for your help and encouragement. Happy Thanksgiving, hope yours was great, too, and let's all look forward to this great time of year when we remember the Savior's birth.