October Park Pics

This morning Esperanza and I took a stroll to the neighborhood park after breakfast. It was a warm and somewhat dry fall morning so we didn't need to bundle up. Esperanza is so clingy to me most of the time , especially when it's just us. I almost gave up at the park and headed back home b/c she wouldn't let me put her down. What's the point in going to the park to play, when she won't let go of me to play? Instead, I sat on a bench and nursed her while I enjoyed my cup of coffee and the scenery (we must have been there early enough cause the park crews & their leaf blower hadn't arrived to take the leaves away yet). After we nursed, Esperanza wanted down and started running around the park laughing and having a great time - without hanging onto me! Yay! She had a ton of fun and stained one of her last pairs of unstained pants as well as her 'new' used shoes. She climbed all over the play structure, went down the wet and muddy slide, enjoyed the tire swing, and chewed on acorn tops.

All the fun wore her out and she went to sleep with no kicking and screaming matches when we got home.

I discovered the 'continuous shot' settings on my camera today...super cool feature!We go to parks quite often. Armando will take Esperanza once or twice a week. It gives me some much needed alone time at home and it gives the two of them some time together without me. He usually takes her up to Crown Park. He doesn't take pictures. He's always 'in the moment' rather than viewing the world and Esperanza from behind the camera lens like me. I went with them the other day and and of course, brought the camera. It was really chilly and I didn't get many good shots cause I guess I wasn't prepared to be cold, but I tried.

And then there's Hathaway Park. So many of my own childhood memories drift to this little area of Washougal. It is much different today than it was 20+ years ago, but still pretty neat with all the added play structures. Esperanza and I went to the upper Hathaway Park play area a few weeks ago on a sunny afternoon. We did play on the play structures, thats why there aren't any pictures of that, cause I was actually 'in the moment'. And then we sat up by a tree and bench to eat lunch and take pictures...One afternoon while at Geneva's earlier this month, I packed a picnic lunch, picked Anycia up after her school got out and we went to the coolest park ever! This place is park heaven for little ones of all ages. There was the neatest and biggest sand 'un-boxed' area with a combined water feature where water flowed through a rock structure and emptied out into the sand which formed a small stream through the sand. Awesome! I'm determined to find a way to make a mini-version of this in my backyard one day. It was really cold that morning so we were all bundled up, but once we got to the park the temperature literally rose at least 15 degrees and the clowds disappeared. We peeled off a few layers of clothes and enjoyed the afternoon. Anycia is up there in the trees

Harvest Isn't Over Yet

A couple of weeks ago my mom found an apple orchard up the gorge to pick apples at. Mom, George, Mary, Yoshi, Esperanza and mom's dogs all headed up the gorge one evening with a ladder, rakes, buckets and bags to get the apples. It was a nice place and I got enough apples to make a few quarts of applesauce. I think my mom got more. I spent a day and a half peeling, coring, cooking, pureeing then freezing applesauce. I was going to can them, but I had run out of jars and lids from canning tomatoes (more on that below). Next year I'm going to start my search for apples earlier in the season, as these weren't the best apples, but they were free.

I couldn't figure out the 'dusk/night' setting on my camera for the life of me. Thanfully, Mary had her camera and got some good shots. There is so much I love about this 'domesticated stay at home mama/wife' thing. Having time in the kitchen to preserve and cook fresh, clean, local in-season foods is definately on the top of that list. Anyone who comes over often knows that I am almost always in the kitchen cooking and eating something. I HEART food!
A couple of weeks ago Armando brought home loads of tomatoes from his uncle's garden. I spent several evenings blanching, peeling, cutting, boiling and canning tomatoes. It was awesome! I messed up a little on one batch, forgetting to add the lemon juice. So that went in the freezer instead. Now, the pantry and freezer are stocked with tomatoes. Next up are persimmons! I know very little about persimmons but I have access to some at a friends house and plan to make jam I think...if I don't eat them all. I just saw persimmons at the store for $1.00 EACH.

15 Months

A few days ago, October 27th, Esperanza turned 15 months old! I really need to take some time to write more in my blog posts rather than just post pictures...but I'm always in fear that the little girl is gonna wake up in the middle of my typing and then I won't ever get it posted (I'm actually amazed I'm still doing this blogging thing). She still has NEVER slept through the night. Not once! It's been 15 months of very little sleep for all of us...more time to enjoy her right :-)

Anyways, just to document the moment...here's the kiddo at 15 months old.

Family Pictures

Here are a few pictures we got taken by Jenifer of Polka Dot Photography awhile back for the Unite for the Cure SMA Fundraiser (which btw, they recently met their goal!!). The pictures have her watermark on them, as I stole them from her blog and am waiting oh so patiently for my digital copies. Couldn't wait to share though...enjoy.

Nicholas got smooches from Esperanza

A Great Pumpkin Birthday Weekend

Since I spent Friday the 16th depressed over my sister, I had gotten it out of my system a day early and was able to enjoy my birthday with no tears or wondering mind. I said goodbye to my 20's forever and welcomed 30 warmly. After a warm & cozy Saturday morning spent indoors in front of the fire listening to the thunderstorm that rolled through town while making pumpkin muffins, Geneva and her kids arrived to spend the weekend with me. Armando, Geneva, Val, Jameson and I all went out to eat at PF Changs in Portland. Later, we met up with my mom, George, Mary, Yoshi and a few of Armando's friends for some drinks closer to home. We cut the evening a bit short at the bar since Esperanza wouldn't let Angelica put her to sleep. The party got moved to my house where I finally turned into a pumpkin by about midnight. The next morning we got up, made pancakes & coffee then headed to the pumpkin patch. Cyndi, Tony & Roman met us there. We went to The Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie Island even though I originally thought of going to The Pomeroy Farm. We had a great time and the weather was perfect! Geneva's kids went through the corn maze, we ate yummy kettle corn, we went on a free hay ride and we got some pumpkins...and the only not so great thing was that everyone else in Portland did the same thing at the same place on that same day. There were way too many people there! Next year we'll try a different place...suggestions anyone?

This is why I love this time of year

Anycia found her perfect pumpkinCyndi, Tony & Roman enjoying the dayThe kids and their pumpkins
A photo op gone badAfter we all picked our pumpkins, Esperanza turned into one on the hay ride back

Thank you all for the thoughtful birthday gifts, cards, flowers and love that was sent my way!!!

Happy Birthday Naomi

Tomorrow is my sister Naomi's 35th brithday! It's also my 3oth birthday as I was born on her 5th birthday. Growing up we always celebrated our birthdays together. As we got older and more involved in our own seperate lives, we would just talk on the phone or send birthday cards to each other for our birthdays. For the past 6 years though, we haven't had any contact on our birthday. I always think of her, like I am right now, and wonder if she might be thinking of me too. How could she not be thinking of me on our birthday? I get sad wondering if she's even alive. Then I get mad thinking that she's probably out there somewhere and is just too selfish to pick up the phone to call anyone. Then I get sad again as I come to the conclusion that if she is still alive and out there, she isn't the person I used to know. The hardest part is not knowing.

I went through some boxes of photos today and scanned in some pictures of Naomi for the purpose of posting them on my blog. Maybe some random person will come across my blog, recognize her and know something about her whereabouts. Not too likely, but ya never know. If you've seen her, please contact me! She uses various different names, one of them is Sarah.

The last time anyone saw or spoke to Naomi was March of 2003. Armando and I stopped in L.A. for a few days on our way through California on a road trip to Mexico. We hung out with Naomi a couple of times, all too brief. I had no idea it might be the last time I saw her.


Below are a few pictures of her over the years. The photo above was when she was about 12 or 13 and the last photo at the bottom of the post is of her and I when I was in L.A. back in 2003.

Happy Birthday Naomi - we love and miss you!

Acorn Park

Just steps from Geneva's front door is the appropriately named Acorn Park. It's so nice to have the park so close to take Esperanza to, or to send the other kids to play there with Esperanza. Usually Angelica will take her over there at least once a day to play, giving me a much needed break. One day last week when the kids were all in school and Geneva was at work, Esperanza and I went there to play for awhile. Esperanza loved finding all the acorns on the ground. She would try to fit as many into one of her tiny hands as possible (usually only 3) then get frustrated when some would fall out as she tried to pick up more. I began putting them in her pockets & hoodie so she could play with them later. She hadn't really figured out the concept of pockets previously so she was a bit confused...then understood once we were back at the house taking them out of the pockets. They were added to the big basket of acorns on the kitchen table that have already been collected by the other kids (don't worry, there are plenty left for all the squirrels).

Here's Esperanza strolling along the concrete path at Acorn Park...

Anycia's St. Michaelmas Play

Esperanza and I spent all of last week at my sister Geneva and her kids' house. It was a busy week with the kids in school & Geneva working. Our previous visits had been during summer break when there wasn't as much going on. Esperanza and I tried our best to adjust from our routine and slide into theirs. Esperanza didn't skip a beat, I skipped a few I think. We really enjoyed the week and spent a lot of time with the kids.

On Tuesday, Esperanza and I went to Anycia's Waldorf school to watch a play that she was in. I think it was called St. Michaelmas (Geneva?). Unfortunately I don't know the story well or I would give you a little more information about it. The children performed the play outdoors on a field to an audience of family and friends while it sprinkled lightly upon us. It was a beautiful day, wonderful play and I was so glad to have had the opportunity to be there!


And here is a cute video clip of Anycia's class at the beginning of the play