Zoo Day

Thank heavens people can help pull us out of ruts. I have been so concentrated on getting our home ready to sell that we have been homebound for weeks. Luckily my friend Wendy was good enough to invite us along. The weather this time of year is beautiful but can get warm. By hour number 3 the kids were whining for the beach area. Though they were ok when I agreed to let them feed the birds.

Then off to the beach. Joaquin was loving the rocks.

Or may be not!

Random

Here are a few unexplained shots to enjoy.

I think I am going to die up in Alaska--that's right, Alaska is our next duty station come July (buy my home). Anchorage is mild comparably speaking, but still. I busted out these beauties a few weeks ago because I was too cold in Texas.

SABOT

A little acronym that stands for San Antonio Botanical Gardens. We decided to hit up this gem during the last few days of the winter break. It was definitely one of those places that needed some serious running around exploration excitement, but I held the group back with my new gimpy toe (read the previous entry if you are not sure what I am referring to). Though I tried not to, it was almost impossible not to compare this botanical garden with the Dallas Arboretum. Really it was like comparing apples to Cara Cara oranges--try them they equally stunning as they are tasty. Who couldn't love a place that looked like this:


(don't judge a place by my iphone photography. . .it is amazingly beautiful. If you are in Dallas, it is a must see)

and had all sorts of free fun including a petting zoo and face painting!

This place wasn't bad and is probably better in the springtime. The kids loved the amazon room with constant mist action.

The cactus area to imitate

and a metal scorpion


And the butterfly exhibit:

One Too Many

WARNING>Contains graphic pictures of torn toenails. Be advised!

I have a pathological problem with status quo. Not that I am good at changing stuff that should be changed (eating, sleeping, and exercise habits to name a few that need this attention), but I often go around rearranging my furniture every few weeks. Now that we are attempting to sell our home (any buyers interested, feel free to buy), I find the need to change things up comes more frequently and with a greater intensity.

So a about a month ago, I was moving around some couches in our family room. They really aren't that heavy and slide quite easily across the carpet. When I slid the couch a bit too quickly and close, I ended up with a toenail 90 degrees away from its home position. I attempted to push it back into place and stop the bleeding, but then some of my kids needed help and walking while holding down a toenail just isn't a function.

I decided to do a little research on ripped toenails and realized that I needed a doctor visit. ER's with 4 kids are never a charm, but no one was home to watch the kids. I debated between going to a hospital 5 minutes from my home or heading across town to the hospital where Fernando was working in hopes that he might have the chance to watch the kids while my toenail was fixed. It just so happened that Fernando's family left the day before which was too bad. Free babysitters who love getting the chance to watch your kids makes such unfortunate events so much better. I took my chances with the hospital across town.

Mia reminded me that it was such a blessing that my left big toe was damaged because driving to the hospital would have been impossible. Fernando came after we were triaged which I think ended up being beneficial. No one wanted to rank me as a wait for space ER candidate with four kids buzzing with nervous energy. It was now a couple hours past the injury and the adrenaline had definitely worn off. The doctor tried to touch the toe and I almost screamed. He numbed up the toe (even more painful than the toe touching) and proceeded to sew my toenail to my toe. I waddled out to enjoy a little gyro sandwich with the kids before heading home.

Church was fun with flip flops. I am sure no one cared, but it was quite ridiculous wearing flip flops with a nice dress and a wool coat due to the colder temperatures. With over a month and a half healing time, the toenail is gone with a new one on the way. The next two pictures after the now picture are increasingly more graphic FYI.

Catching Some Z's!

Joaquin has been a rockin' sleeper. (which in turn has made it possible for me to sleep like a rock--7:30 am or sometimes later rolling out of bed). I think a lot of it has to do with his thumb sucking prowess. The kid is ambidextrous with his opposable digits. Our sleeping routine is beyond fabulous. He usually goes to bed around 7-8 at night and wakes up around 6:00 am!! I feed him and he goes back to sleep (as do I). Then sometime around 7:30 he wakes up ready to play. About 2 hours later he goes down again for nap number one that last at least 2 plus hours. Wake up, eat play, sleep 2 hours more. Repeat.

I want to sing praises for such a kind and thoughtful kid. I am 100% positive that he was a direct blessing from above since I decided to do this whole homeschooling thing. (I have loved it, but think it really was a bit more for me than I originally thought it would be).

Pioneer Appreciation Day

Almost a year ago, Fernando thought it would help the kids hyperactivity if they were able to walk to church. While I was still very pregnant with Joaquin and because of Talia's short legs, I drove while the two oldest kids made the 2.5 mile walk to church (minus the mile or so they were able to drive in the car with me to find a more suitable starting point). It worked great. They made it in time for our 2:30 pm church time (HELLO!) and were more than willing to sit still on the benches at church. No longer pregnant and with parents visiting, I thought today would be a good Pioneer Appreciation Day.

Our time slot this year is 8:30 am, so it was going to be a walk home from church. We came prepared with water, food, and tennis shoes which look so hot with a floral skirt and long white socks and white, hairy legs. Good thing Fernando already realized my lack concern for fashion or this would have been a shocker. My parents drove Joaquin home and we headed out in the drizzle to get a good appreciation for personal transportation. The kids started the 3.5 miles strong. Talia ran for the first half mile. A few friends saw us and offered us rides. I am pretty sure they thought we were the meanest parents making our kids walk for such a long amount of road, but I think their little bodies could use a bit more endurance training.

I loved walking and talking about lots of stories from Fernando's and my childhood. It wasn't until mile 2 that we were losing the troops. Thank heavens some hoodlums knocked over some construction signs that the kids loved to put up. That got us back on track.

Not surprisingly, the .5 mile walk from the entrance of our neighborhood to our door was the most trying for the kids. This is when they began to beg for us to call my parents to pick them up. Seeing as how it was flat for most of the walk and a delicious 60 degree slightly breezy day, we felt like they could make it. And they did! Good on ya, kiddos!

6 Months Old

Big buddy boy here smells mostly of spit these days, but not from his own surplus of drool. No, Joaquin gets inundated by everyone of his siblings and parents with kisses which attributes to his overall skin smell. He has a funny workout combination when on his belly. It alternates between the skeleton position, flapping penguin, and the yoga move cobra. I will try to get a video of it so you can enjoy it for yourself. He has started in on the d and b sounds with an occasional m. The sitting up scene occurs when there is something interesting to sit up for. Elsewise he throws himself onto his back and promptly rolls onto his belly. Out of all the veggies he has been introduced to, sweet potatoes seem to be the clear winner. (Mia and Tiago preferred green beans, Talia loves peas. . .so this seems like quite a surprise). He hates infant cereal which I don't blame him. The stuff smells like fish food. Instead he has honed in on berry flavored kix more specifically the purple berry. Peek-a-boo is a riot for him and he still finds his own fingers and toes to be most interesting. We just love this kid!