The Fall!

Oh my favorite season! This fall we've had some beautiful weather in Ohio - warm days (some actually hot!) and some cool with that crisp air. If you are wondering what crisp air is... well it's like a very sharp cool air, not so cold that it bothers you, but cool enough to refresh you. On crisp days everything looks sharp. The sun is shinning and the colors are just ... CRISP :). I took a walk with the kids to a local metro park, where me and about 200 other folks were also walking and taking pictures. The fall colors were AMAZING! I truly enjoyed myself and I hope my kids did too.

It also means it is time to clean up the yard and prepare it for the winter! For us that means cutting down perennials so they don't have any leaves or dead branches come spring and raking our very large yard (well it's not so large but for me it is). I was in a zen mode while raking today, before I knew it I had done what I set out to do out in the yard! The whole time I thought about how we couldn't sell our house this year and if in some cosmic way it was meant not to sell.

What? Did I forget to mention our house was on the market the entire summer? Well, it was! And it was not fun. Not fun having to go through showing after showing after showing just to find out that the buyer did not like ... whatever. From the yard to the corner and how small the house was, the price was the biggest complain. So we lowered and lowered and LOWERED the price down so much that we pretty much were giving the house away. Well, that still didn't help to sell it. As I was raking the leaves and cutting down my Hydrangeas, I realize that I DO love living here. I do love this neighborhood and its conveniences (close to everything, including WORK!) But we wanted to give our kids more space and my visiting family more room to roam. Since it does get pretty cold here, we live indoors for a good part of the year so it can get crowded with more than 4 people in the house. However, it has brought us closer (the kids and us) and we LOVE having less space to clean. I can find many positives and I'm not making excuses, but I remember what some people live like in other parts of the world. They barely have a roof over their heads and they share all a room (to sleep, eat and live in). Why the need for more space? Why the need for bigger and better? I can't answer that, but I can tell you that we will enjoy these holidays in our home this year - because home to ME is where my family is.

I read an article the other day about a family that decided to down size instead of upgrade their house. Their house was already pretty big but after a trip to a third world country they all understood what's important in life. So they sold their large home and bought a smaller home which allowed them to give more money to philantrophic efforts and in the end it brought the family closer. I always say that I don't need anything bigger and better - I just need our family to be healthy and happy. Our kids smile every day (so they seem happy and they say they are happy!) We can afford to go places (took 2 major trips this year and they were tons of fun!). And at least my commute is unbeatable (3 minutes to work!)

It still doesn't mean that we won't try again in the spring (to sell that is) but for now I would be ok if we don't.

Pictures of the fall and our home:

Mother's Day

The second Sunday of May is Mother's day in Honduras and the US. I was very fortunate this year to spend it with my mom and my kids- which is rare since mom lives in Honduras. It was such a great day in Cleveland *a bit chilly but nonetheless a good day. Great food and drinks compliments of my beautiful sister Thania. My kids woke me up with kisses, hugs and presents! My husband was very poetic in his card and I am a lucky person to have all the blessings I have.

Then as the day went on - things changed a bit. I found out my very good friend's mom passed away Saturday evening. He had just had his daughter (first one) a couple of weeks before and he had lost his sister about 8 years ago. I started to cry. It was almost like a dagger went through my heart to think about this sad moments for him (specially on Mother's Day!!). Why do things happen like that? Why so much happiness but then so much pain at the same time!?
I haven't stopped thinking about this (how I wish I could go and give him and his dad a hug). His mom was a fantastic lady. She was a constant presence at our high school, one that would take us kids to do community service. She was such a cool mom - always being more like a friend to everyone and being incredibly compassionate. We all lost a role model on Saturday and one that touched so many lives.
I haven't talked to her in such a long time, however we used to email back and forth shortly after her daughter passed away (that was another shock) which was around the same time my daughter was born. She was obviously grieving but she still took the time to wish me the best on my new endevour as a mom.

She left an impression on me in the way she lived her life as a mom and wife. My friend had the best mom he could ever have and she will now be their angel and hopefully guidance on his new journey as a dad. I pray that you focus in celebrating her life and while we want to be selfish and have her here with us, remember that a piece of her is in you and in your daughter.

My lesson? Live in the now and make NOW the best of it.

It was still a nice day for us and we got the chance to spend it together while enjoying great food, flowers and each other. Here are some pictures of our day in Cleveland.

2010 - what a year so far!

I feel like I've matured a lot in my thirties ( ha ha ha - I know I crack myself up!) But in a way I am appreciating all the cool things about getting older and wiser. I try not to let the little things bother me and I also keep things in perspective * or try to!

However, I have found a new love. That is photography! My dear husband gave me a super cool camera for Christmas and I've enjoyed taking pictures with it. I am still learning but I found myself taking pictures of my kids (which is the whole purpose of the camera) and really enjoying getting these little moments in their faces. Looking back at these pictures, I hope they are my keepsake for years to come on when they were little! We went on a spring walk earlier in the year and we enjoyed walking around the neighborhood (me camera in hand) and we just stopped to look at flowers, birds or smell the spring air! 

I love my kids - if I could stop time right now I would be so happy! They are the perfect age to have fun with to be somewhat independent already but yet still spend time reading books, watching movies or taking bike rides.

Check out some pics from our spring walk :)