Happy Mother's Day!

Last year, I officially celebrated my first Mother's Day in Colombia.  Although it was nice, the kids didn't understand.  They gave me pictures they had drawn, but having a mother was just too new for them.  This year was so different, and we have been blessed with very loving kids.  Although we have had lots of challenges our first year together as a family, our family bond is strong and there are lots of hugs and "I Love Yous" floating around the house everyday.  Homeschooling has been one of our biggest hurdles, for many reasons.  However, I wouldn't have the relationship I have with the kids if I hadn't!

So, this Mother's Day, Dainis took the kids to the dollar store to pick out gifts for me.  After much thought, I received a bottle of perfume and mint candy (my favorite) from Angie.  Ingrid bought me hand soap that smells likes flowers (I was out at that time), along with more chocolate candy.  Juan gave me a beautiful little purse to take to to the YMCA.  He said he didn't like the other one I was using!  He also bought me chocolate candy.  The day ended with a big bowl of chili and chocolate cake!  

Our First Family Vacation!

We took our first family vacation to San Diego, CA for the week, and we all had a great time.  The kids were excited from the very beginning that they could watch movies all the way there in the van.  It was a six our drive. 

As we headed to the beach the first day, at Coronado Beach, the kids weren't very sure of the ocean.  They walked into the water a bit but spent most of the time in the sand. It was like playing in a huge sand box, and they had never seen anything like it.

 

 

 They especially loved feeding the seagulls.  We saved our bread everyday for them.

After a fun day at the beach, the highlight each night was to go to the hotel pool after the beach.  Although the pool was heated, Mom thought it was freezing out.  It was in the 60s as a high each day!  We were staying in a condo, so our days' activities were usually eat breakfast, go to the beach, have a picnic lunch at the beach, play in the sand and the water, go back to the condo to swim and to make dinner, watch a movie, and go to bed.  We visited Carlsbad Beach, Coronado Beach, and La Jolla Beach.  By the end of the week, the kids were all jumping and playing in the ocean! 

 

 

The trip would not be complete without a visit to Sea World.  The kids loved it.  The dolphins and whales were everyone's favorite, and we had to sit cloe enough to get all wet! 

 

 

We will all look forward to going back to the beach on another vacation, and we were thankful we could share these special family times together.