Marci's Village

A little gymnast

Today you:

- panicked when you thought you wouldn't be on time for gymnastics because your brother was goofing off and making us late. Your team mates eased your anxiety. You are the youngest, so they treat you like their little sister. It's very sweet to watch.

- practiced with the older girls. You admire them and I do too. 

- decorated a box for your cubbie at the gym. 

- had a hard time falling asleep, probably because of all the excitement of the day and the anticipation of another practice tomorrow.

Good dreams, little girl.

Basketball

One more season ended. Another one will start pretty soon. Phillip had a new coach for the first time in two years. The team was not a winner but the team mates were all about the same level and learned a lot together. A good bunch of kids! I had never seen and heard so many giggles and high fives.

Getting ready. In the other team (the one with the really good players) Phillip would have never offered to jump for the tip off. He is really coming out of his shell.

I neglected to get a picture of the whole team (a boy needed a hug and some encouragement after the loss), but hopefully soon enough they will be together again.

Happy Valentine's Day

We made heart-shaped cookies this weekend -- and ate them!

A little something for the teachers. Phillip asked me this morning as we approached one of his teachers: "What do I say to her?". Hmm... "How about: Happy Valentine's Day"???

Something for the girl

Something for the boy

And little cards for the classmates. Maya and Phillip said they wanted something "different" this year and that's what I found on this website. Something sweet for Maya's classmates and something "cool" for a growing boy to pass out to his friends.

Bruce got his chocolate this morning and took it to work, so I couldn't take a picture of it.

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope your day is sweet.

edited to add: from my love. So pretty!

Brazilianmoms

We "ladies" got together two weeks in a row! Thanks to Silvia L. for opening her home to us. Great food and conversation, as always.

Adorable kids playing

Silvana playing with her girls

A project finished

The boy finished his project on Hernando Cortez (or Hernan Cortes), an explorer who came to Cuba and expanded his conquest to Mexico. We laughed a lot about the true version of the facts: "a greedy man who killed many Aztec indians". Phillip pretended that he was going to use words such as "assassin" and "greed" in his presentation. Just kidding...

It's just a lot of fun to raise kids with a sense of humor and curiosity about historical facts.  

After drawing Cortez: "Mom, look! He looks sleepy".

Glimpses of a weekend

The boy working on a project (captain's chest -- he's researching Hernando Cortez) for school

Maya and friend playing dolls

Lego building. Maya was building a house. Phillip joined her and it became a jail -- see all the security cameras?

Maya's Valentine's box is almost ready!

Playing Mancala with friend

A little project by mom

And... what is not in the pictures:

- a basketball game where Phillip's team lost (again!) but Phillip played well. Two free throws at the end of the game. Yeah!

- a boy who just wanted to play all weekend long and had a hard time budgeting his time to finish his school projects. He promised everything will get done by the deadline. I promised to trust his judgement. This parenting thing (i.e. allowing them to make their own decisions) is sometimes hard.

- Maya training hard at Gymnastics. I rarely have a chance to watch but was lucky enough arrive at the gym just in time to see the little peanut do six (!) back-hand springs in a row. She said she had to stop after the sixth because she felt "a little dizzy". Ha!

- Grandparents over for pizza and watching the football game. At least that's what the gentlemen did while we ladies (Maya included) talked, looked at pictures, and played hangman.

- Playing volleyball with the Brazilianmoms on Friday. A small park, a net, a tiny beachball, and a bunch of ladies laughing at their own performance. Oh, and a lot of food to make up for all the energy spent playing laughing.

An Egyptian party

Maya's little friend in school invited her for an egyptian-themed birthday party. Have you ever heard of Hatshepsut? Well, I hadn't either until these smart girls started learning about Egypt in school.

The party took place mostly under a beautifully set up white tent where the girls got their nails and make-up done, ate some delicious snacks and rice krispie treats, made jewelry, and giggled, of course!

Isn't this table set up just amazing?

The "cake".

Don't you just love the contrast of their shirts against the white background of the tent?

The mom (or moms) behind this amazing idea for a party are the creators of this blog. Check out the blog and "like" them on Facebook. You will be blown away by how creative, simple, and uplifting their ideas are.

This woman made me cry...

... a lot!

Her name is Patricia Polacco and she writes books for kids. Really moving and touching stories. This past Christmas a few of her books made it to our Christmas basket (we read a wrapped book each night the days of the Advent).

I want to record them here, so we can make sure they become part of our basket in the years to come. Here they are:

A beautiful story that interlaces Christianity and Judaism.

Kids love this one.

Now, this one. What can I tell you? Phillip said the teachers in third grade in both classrooms cried reading it. Phillip warned me I would too. It is without a doubt the most beautiful Christmas story I've ever read.

In the same style of books (but a different author), we found this treasure:

Also, we have just finished this heartwarming book which left us yearning for more stories about a childhood full of imaginative play, Nature, and celebrations.

This post is a little late but I really don't want to forget these titles the next time around. They are sitting comfortably on my Amazon cart and waiting to be purchased (maybe a few every month?). They are definitely worth it!

Glitters

I was paying for my groceries at the grocery store when I overheard the cashier talking about "last day of Glendale Glitters". (How luck am I to be there right at the right moment!). Instantly I thought that going to the event would be a fun way to enjoy the last little bit of holiday cheer with the kids.

Dear husband wanted to stay home and watch football (a "bad choice" according to Maya -- she cracks us up), so the three of us ventured into the cold night and enjoyed every little bit of it. Well... maybe Maya having to use a portable bathroom wasn't that enjoyable but we won't talk about that. Because it was the last night of the event, they had several huge hot air balloons to decorate the plaza. The kids enjoyed watching the ballons being worked on.  

The Oak Creek Band played some zydeco.

I felt like a little kid again (that doesn't take much!)

The highlight of the night. The three of us went on the ferris wheel together. Phillip and I were a little nervous. Maya? Of course not!

View from above

The slide was fun -- twice!

Another balloon

The last stop of the night -- a visit to Papa Ed's Icecream. We had been there before and loved it all over again. There is a lovely little garden right outside of the icecream shop. We are planning a trip during the day next time.

Blessings

I met Joy about ten years ago when I still worked at St. Joe's. Soon after I started as a new nurse, she left to take a job at Thunderbird (where I work now). When I transferred to Thunderbird we connected again and I was amazed to hear her stories of volunteering in different countries, including Brazil.

Well, last month Joy resigned her position as a Child Life Specialist Manager and started on her goal to help orphanaged and disadvantaged children around the world. I couldn't be more excited for her, especially because her first stop is... BRAZIL! As I write this she is probably sleeping for the first time in her new quarters at YWAM in Recife, Brazil, and starting to get used to her new life.

When I found out Joy was going to Brazil I jumped at the opportunity to teach her some Portuguese. We had three two-hour lessons, which helped me to get to know her and her mission a little better. I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to do this. I can't wait to hear about her adventures helping youth at-risk and spreading hope to children who don't have much but will now have someone who truly cares what happens to them.

And... look at the beautiful basket Joy gave me at our last day together. I cannot believe that she knew exactly what would make my heart happy: a beautifully written thank you note, inspirational quotes (love, love, love these!), candles, lotions, stationary, tea, and tea cups. Thank you, new friend. I haven't taken the basket apart yet. I was waiting for your departure so I can think of you in Brazil every time hold any of those special items in my hands. God bless you, Joy.