Family dinner

Whew!! All went well. We were over 30 people (we ate at a restaurant in Barcelona), all descendants of my father-in-law, Martín Valcárcel, and his siblings, plus extended family. It was funny because most of us didn't know each other... especially in-laws with other in-laws!

Paul slept most of the time (he actually pulled a 6-hour on me) and Lara amused herself with her books while adult conversation droned on. I had "Boeuf Bourguignon", not sure about the spelling - a delicious French stew with bull's meat (proper name for that?). I saw it on the menu and thought I would try it because they made a great deal about it in the movie "Julie and Julia", which I watched a couple of days ago... By the way, it's a great movie. I killed myself laughing. Meryl does a wonderful job, as usual.

Anecdote of the day: Lara woke up at 10:30 am today... she slept 14 hours straight!! What a luxury. She woke up all bright eyed and bushy tailed with her usual "Firerruck!! Indian ride!!" expletives.

I shall go now and read a book. Something I haven't done for ages.

Bathtime

And here is a photo from yesterday's bathtime... Lara was showing Paul the owange and gween balls :-)

It is 10 am and Lara is still sleeping... what a luxury! Paul is crooning in his baby chair... And today we have the Valcárcel clan's dinner at Barcelona! Will tell you about it...tricky business with a toddler and a baby! Hope they behave :-)

This time it's for real... honest.

Okay, I know you think this will be short-lived and that I won't post anything else in the next year or two; but I have firmly resolved, and call it a New Year's Resolution if you want, to write something every week at least.

Not only to keep up a blog, but perhaps also for the mere sake of writing... something which I enjoy thoroughly but have so little time to do. Well, I shall make the time then.

For instance, this evening we put Lara and Paul to bed at the same time... 8:30 pm. I had supper already made (zuchinni, potato, leek, and carrot cream soup, and some ham and cheese sandwiches that Dani volunteered). By the time we finished, it wasn't even 9 pm. So... a whole evening ahead of me! And the clothes are folded!! The dishes are in the dishwasher!!

I managed to get up to date on Facebook - an arduous task when you haven't been on it since yesterday. But those of you that have the immense honour of being part of my 100,000 friends will see that I more than made up for my inexcusable 24-hour long absence.

Funny anecdote of the day: Lara was reading her abc book, and the letter K had a picture of a kettle. So after hesitating for a minute, she read... "K is for... Kea-pot!" She doesn't know what a kettle is... but it looked a lot like a tea-pot!!

We bathed them together today... Lara enjoyed it. He did too... crooning and smiling the whole time!

Recipe of the day: I made the spaghetti sauce with onion fried in butter, bacon, a tiny bit of tomato sauce to give it colour, and cream. Yummy!

Until the next, readers.

Wet Behind the Ears

He may seem to be apprehensive about his first exposure to my blog, but he's actually just not too sure about his first bath experience. He is a little wet behind the ears in both regards... But welcome, Paul, to Mama's blog, and to your bathtub.

AUTUMN FUN

I've decided that this year I'm going to make a real Pumkin Pie... And this is the beautiful specimen I purchased in order to attain such a goal.

Of course, we also bought a lot of other things. Lara helped us push the cart a little, and after shopping we had a bite to eat at a hotdog thingamajig. Lara is wearing her bib here, it's not an odd piece of clothing...

And here is my wonderful husband... with Lara trudging along as best as she can... What a long supermarket! Well, she did get a ride in the cart, don't think she walked all the time.

Back at home, Lara entertained herself with her little colour books... This is orange!!

She also likes practicing her letters... SSSSS, sssssssssss... for sun!!

And of course, her numbers too... with the new book she got a few days ago from Abu and Grandma!! Thank-you so much!!

Then, I put everything in its place, and it looked so pretty I couldn't resist taking a picture of it!

That same evening, since Lara had such a long nap in the afternoon, we went to some friends' home for supper, and she had a great time playing with Aarón's toys... he was sleeping!

And this is one of the latest pictures of Lara... a little spiffed up... doesn't she look dreamy? :-)

MORE TO COME (I might do a mini-story on how I got my pumpkin pie done...)

HAVE THINE OWN WAY, LORD

Have thine own way, Lord, have thine own way;
Thou art the potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have thine own way, Lord, have thine own way;
Search me and try me, Savior today!
Wash me just now, Lord, wash me just now,
As in thy presence humbly I bow.

Have thine own way, Lord, Have thine own way;
Wounded and weary, help me, I pray.
Power, all power, surely is thine,
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine.

Have thine own way, Lord, have thine own way;
Hold o'er my being absolute sway.
Fill with thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me!

Adelaide Pollard, 1907

SILENT IN LOVE

"He will rest in His love."

Love culminates in bliss when in doth reach
A white, unflickering, fear-consuming glow:
And, knowing it is known as it doth know
Needs no assuring word or soothing speach.
It craves but silent nearness, so to rest,
No sound, no movement, love not heard but felt,
Longer and longer still, till time should melt
A snowflake on the eternal ocean's breast.
Have moments of this silence starred thy past,
Made memory a glory-haunted place,
Taught all the joy that mortal ken can trace?
By greater light 'tis but a shadow cast;-
So shall the Lord thy God rejoice o'er thee,
And in His love shall rest, and silent be.




Frances R. Havergal
Ministry of Song, 1881