New creamer and sugar bowl for our kitchen :) Valentines arrived from Silas and Rubí and were quickly placed on the fridge. On my walk this day, couldn't help but take a photo of this front yard on the street where we live. ... Read More

Each year it is made available greens verge collection in John's area. Years ago when I first met John, I didn't even know what verge meant. Verge = a strip of grass or other vegetation beside a road. I guess we would call it a curbside collection. They are limited to tree prunings ONLY up to a total of 3m3. We are lucky the weekend was cooler.I dedicated myself to be John's helper, not willing to brave his ladder or tools ... Read More

After all the Christmas celebrations, it was finally New Year's Day. The day began doing my favorite thing to do with New Year's Day, watching the Tournament of Roses Parade. A fine tradition my dad started with me. This year it was even better as the whole family, even Silas and Rubi, and John got to watch it with me. The children got excited with the different floats. Laura gave Miranda a rare treat with some touches of make up. ... Read More

I love how John has settled into his role as Pop Pop... Watching Masha and the Bear with Silas and Rubí' Both stayed on John's lap to enjoy the movie and share their favorite show with him. I think John liked the movie too. Silas enjoys the humor of Masha and the Bear. Rubi enjoys some cheese snack with the movie. John gets some of his English cheese, too. He even shared some with Rubi. The next day, John reads ... Read More

After many days of preparations, early celebrations, Christmas Day with the family was finally here. To honor my dad, and make him feel part of the day, I had put out his favorite Christmas greeting on a prominent place in the living room. :)He liked to kid, but really, behind the scenes, he along with my mom, did a lot of work to make every single Christmas, MAGIC. While we were still getting ready for the day, John got a ... Read More

Each Christmas Eve we go to church for its Christmas Eve service. This year, we decided to try to get some photos with the lovely poinsettias in the background.   The children were kind of wiggly during the service. Had to got one of John and I Laura and Jenny Jenny is so sweet, she wanted one with me. Miquel and Jenny Some didn't want their photo taken, like Silas here. Baffled kind of how to handle Silas's mini meltdown not wanting ... Read More

So it became the part of the evening  before church when the children were allowed to open their presents... Rubi starts... A book about a koala! Silas gets something real happy! Rubi gets a kitchen from Yaya. Ready to play Magnetic paper dolls from Nana and Pop Pop. Just what Silas wanted, Lego Star Wars! Rubi quickly got the hang of opening presents. In come Aunt Jenny and Uncle Miq! Rubi clutches a present from them. Silas loves his racetrack!   ... Read More

After two whole days of grueling travel, my husband from Perth has reached Maryland to celebrate Christmas with us. Silas and Rubí both warmed up to "Pop Pop" right away, and it wasn't long John was showing Silas the workings of an old Pentax camera. The tradition in our family is, we get together once before Christmas to decorate cookies. John picked up some icing and joined in. Sugar cookies were the main items we have decorated over the years, ... Read More

Things are getting a little crazy around here waiting for John to get here, for Christmas to come... Nobody photo bombs like Miranda! I love how Miranda gave Rubí "new" hair! ... Read More

Laura was ready with her camera, but this time making a movie of Silas and Rubí singing in the back of the car. I guess they have some work to do yet, but cute as can be anyway! ... Read More

As I blogged yesterday, Laura got a wall decal for her bedroom as a birthday present from Yaya. Miranda was quickly enlisted for help, and she accepted. The wall decal was split up in several sections. This is section "A" Silas busied himself at Laura's desk. He soon got into the spirit of joining Mommy and Laura on the bed (and jumping off it). Rubi, in turn, busied herself right outside Laura's room on the steps. This child created her ... Read More

Not everyone in Maryland was so lucky, but for our household, hurricane Sandy was... A time to catch up on sleep... ...to play in the "fort" Tia Laura made... ...or to write messages on the steamed up windows. Don't get me wrong, we treated the event seriously, prepared for it, and knew its potential for harm. We just were so blessed to not have any trees knocked over, not experience flooding, nor did we lose power. One glitch was Miranda was ... Read More

It was sort of a different birthday, but like the rest in many ways. Mom was sick, so that was different. He wanted lamb instead of Canelons, so that was different. The cooking of lamb ended up smoking the house out in the broiler and had to be finished upstairs in that oven. So the haze in the house was definitely different. The rest of the craziness was about the Lopez same. Even so, a 30th with the family is a sweet occasion. For ... Read More

Once again, October gives us another birthday. This one is special in that Enric turned 30. It's so hard to believe that I now have a son who is 30 years old. Even though it was an important event, Miranda had a few events to schedule around and finally decided to invite friends the day before his actual birthday. It was to be a surprise, and he was surprised. :) Enric is kind of curious as to why people are in ... Read More

"If I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own back yard." ~Dorothy, Wizard of Oz   The same day we raked leaves, we went out again later to play in the backyard. Rubi just loves her new play "equipment" made by the cutting down of trees. Sometimes she wants mommy close by as she practices her balance in this maze of logs. Silas got the idea to take the wheelbarrow on a "ramp" he ... Read More

Boxes are wonderful for children. Silas found this big box in the yard and worked very hard to bring it into the house. He has pretended so many things with it, his imagination has soared. Yesterday however, Rubí not shy about climbing up into things in spite of her tiny frame, got into the box and put on a show for us after lunch. Rubí makes Yaya very nervous when watching her climb up things as she does. After a lot ... Read More

The weather has been perfect of late, and our yard really needs work. We are all trying to do a little each day. There is always time for FUN though! Rubí has a rake just her size. Well it's starts with some serious work and raking. Then the leaves start flying. Silas is really getting the hang of raking. Rubí had a great time outside. Then it was Silas's turn to let leaves fly. Miranda now buries Silas in the ... Read More

Enric, getting the fire started to make Silas's requested birthday dinner, hot dogs! The tias pose for a photo. The girls pose with Miquel. Miranda gets in the picture. Miranda getting started cooking the hot-dogs. Meanwhile Silas swings on the tire. A blessing to have such an easy requested birthday dinner! After dinner, Rubí has a peep. Back in the house, Rubí points to Silas's giant cookie cake. Miranda had to tickle Silas to pose with his cake. Silas's ... Read More

Enric and Miranda wanted a date so that left Laura and I with Silas and Rubí! Laura has been working and studying a lot and was excited about the time with them. She suggested a trip to Menchies. On a side note, when they built the frozen yogurt place in Lake Shore Plaza, I didn't think it would do very well, was I ever wrong! Laura and Silas at Menchies in the Plaza. Rubí was quick to get evidence of ... Read More

Advice from a Tree – By Ilan Shamir Stand tall and proud. Sink your roots into the earth. Be content with your natural beauty. Go out on a limb. Drink plenty of water. Remember your roots. Enjoy the view! So I love trees as much as the next person. I don't know if I have a favorite, but Weeping Willows, Maples, and Birch trees are very sweet. When I went to Australia, I couldn't stop marveling at all the different trees they ... Read More

  I don't like to dwell on the past, but my church reminded me Sunday of the merits of remembrance. We took time in the morning service to solemnly watch a slide show of the happenings on the day of September 11th. I don't know how I happened to have my grandson on my lap this particular Sunday, but as he watched the images, he had about 400 questions. He saw the towers, the planes, the fires, the destruction of the towers. His ... Read More

  Ever since Laura and Miquel were young, they participated in Patch the Pirate at Anchor Baptist Church. It's a great way for young ones to learn Bible truths and memorize scripture. They have a lot of fun too! Patch the Pirate was started by Ron Hamilton, who lost his eye to cancer. Through this tragic loss, he built a ministry and now young people all over enjoy his music and stories. (You can read his story HERE) Now all these years later, I ... Read More

  I guess I've blogged about walking at Kinder Farm Park many times by now, but rarely do I mention the community garden they have there. Yesterday, Jenny, Laura, and I decided to go to Kinder Park and take Silas. (Rubí was still taking a nap). We couldn't do the full loop as Silas isn't up to it, so we went to the playground area which is across from the garden. I decided to take a closer look at what they were ... Read More

Note: Not all of the photos I took this day could be put up here, but I have a set uploaded to my gallery here, two pages! I had been to the Amish Country before, once with Marta and Pepe, and it rained and didn't really know where we were going, then went with John and around Lancaster got lost and not sure where we ended up but we saw nice scenery. So when I found out that my sister and ... Read More

Today wasn't as hot as it has been and the humidity was lower too. Seemed a perfect day to get out of the house, and why go alone when we have two active children in the home that aren't interested in taking naps. :) As we make our way out, Silas poses by my newly applied Australia Bumper sticker. He wants to go there so badly one day! Silas bends over to look into the drain by the side of the ... Read More

  Saturday we had as much of the family as we could assemble for a swim/picnic day. Of course there was food. Some of us couldn't wait to dig in. Roger had the boys playing ball. Aiden has a turn at bat. I think Lois was the umpire/catcher. Relaxing by the pool is a must. Best seats to watch the kids too! Silas in his own world with Kenny's watch. Lois shows the triplets how to swim. Rubí who is very ... Read More

I told Alejandra, I wouldn't say good-bye, I'd say, "Until the next time." We should be used to good-byes around here, but they're never easy for me. She made it back to Spain and this morning when I woke up, her room seemed SO EMPTY. Well, she might not be close by, but we all feel our family grew a bit this last month. Love you, Alejandra, fins la propera vegada. ... Read More

Alejandra was fascinated with the cupcake shops in Annapolis, so I decided we should make the time to bake some cupcakes and decorate them! ... Read More

Yesterday, Alejandra, Laura, Miranda, Silas and I went to Washington D.C. We wanted to give Alejandra a chance to see the White House and the Capitol, which she had asked to see. Her father suggested she would also like the Natural History Museum, too.           ... Read More

Today the Fletchers had a surprise birthday party for Uncle Arthur.           ... Read More

We had a quiet 4th of July this year. We had some tennis watching time, swimming, and cookout. Alejandra and Miquel played tennis. After that, a good American tradition over a fire, Smores. ... Read More

Parents went away, so Nana took the kids outside after dinner for ice cream cones! I couldn't stop laughing because if they had concentrated on the ice cream as much as they did everything else, more might have actually made it into their mouths! But it was fun for all, and I took a video (Below). They were all smiles (and mess) when mommy and daddy arrived home!   ... Read More

Now, when I say beside the pool, I mean BESIDE the pool. We have a pool, and it's a blessing to have one. Even after all the labor that is involved with opening it, closing it, maintaining it, it's wonderful to have a pool. The thing is, we live on a property with a LOT of trees. Another blessing really, except when it keeps the SUN off of our water, and in June it still feels mountain stream FRESH. In other ... Read More

Memorial Day was a tiny bit different this year. We did the usual, going to Kinder Farm Park with our Church Picnic. This year, instead of taking photos of the adult activities, I spent most of it with Silas and Rubí.   ... Read More

Around the house all is looking ready for preparation for summer. ... Read More