Well, in a few days, I will be in Mexico for the first time in July. I have not blogged in a long time and when I got on here, I realized there are a few 'drafts' that were never published - those 2 should be dated sometime in 2011 when we were living there - may be a bit confusing.
So, we have some friends who have been wanting to go to Mexico but claim that they must go with the Millers when they go. One family, even cancelled their trip to Wisconsin to join us in Mexico....
Talk about pressure to preform! Holy Moly - I feel like I cannot disappoint with all the things I have talked about in Playa del Carmen.
On Saturday, we, along with 2 other families from Lawrence, Kansas will hop on a Fun Jet and within 5 hours be walking on the beach - or more like @ El Fogon getting a margarita and Tacos Arrachera.
I am looking forward to being there in July to see if 'I can take it'.
I love summer, I never complain about being hot or heat - so I am excited to see if, one of these days, I will really be able to live there year around! :-)
I will try to figure out how to post pictures, it's been so long I may need a refresher but hopefully I will be able to post some fun stuff and new details about one of my favorite places on this earth. Looking forward to sharing it with other friends in the future as well! Adios
the water is so good
Monday, July 15, 2013
Weekends
It's funny - I've had lots of people ask, mention and or wonder: Why are you doing this?
I think the real answer won't be known for a while, maybe as soon as we get home, maybe someday - years from now, or maybe really, never actually something that anyone could put their finger on......
But, this I know for sure:
I am always striving to be a better person.
Each year as my birthday comes and goes, I think to myself, am I doing what I want to be, am I who I want to be for myself, my kids, my husband, my family & friends? Am I in the kind of health I want to be in at 43 years old? What do I want to do different, does my life flow daily in a healthy, happy way, Am I making the most of opportunities that God puts in front of me?
What is my purpose?
How do I want my kids to live their lives?
Do I spend my time wisely?
Do I surround myself with healthy things, people, activities and thoughts?
I am an Aquarius. At least I used to be, I haven't looked at that stuff on FB re: your zodiac sign changing....
Anyway - I love the water, I love warm air, I love being outside, I love the mystery of the ocean, I love not wearing shoes. I am drawn to this climate.
I honestly believe that when Alexander, Benjamin & Carlie graduate from college, they will have to know another language. I know you can learn Spanish at FSHS or LHS. But, I want my children to be versed. I don't just mean that they can hold a conversation with you and look you in the eye. I want them to know what they want. I want them to have experience in different situations that will give them the edge. I want them to be able to roll. I want them to have dealt with different situations that will help them in their lives at some point, in some way or on one day!
At home, I was feeling like I was never in control. And I don't mean, I didn't get to decide where we ate dinner - I mean, I was just bobbing along. Not doing anything great - just doing lots of great things that maybe I wasn't making great because of something else.......
Youth sports absolutely dictate my life. On pretty much any given day in our home - someone outside my house is dictating what my family does.
I'm not saying it's something I didn't sign up for. I knew when I enrolled all 3 of my kids in piano lessons that that came with a price of time. I knew when Alexander decided he wanted to play sports - and not just 1 sport (God forbid) that that would mean a commitment of my time ( I really mean my family time ).
I knew all of these things, but one thing I don't remember from my childhood is that daily, there is SOMETHING that HAS to be done. I'm not talking about taking out the trash, pulling weeds, making dinner, doing laundry (oh how i miss my machine!)....
I'm talking about something that someone else has decided for me, as far as time, place, length of activity, day.....
For example, baseball practice. Sundays......SUNDAYS.....really? In my mind, Sunday is the worst day imaginable for a baseball practice. Sunday is the day you just do. Church, Dinner, then, whatever it is you want to do. Play in a creek, horseback ride, play whiffle ball, football, go for a bike ride, explore, whatever it is that sparks something in you, it seems to me that Sunday is the day that you should do that.
My son even plays in a football league that game days are Sundays..... So there must be a lot of people in the world who think Sunday is a great day for youth activities!
I think the real answer won't be known for a while, maybe as soon as we get home, maybe someday - years from now, or maybe really, never actually something that anyone could put their finger on......
But, this I know for sure:
I am always striving to be a better person.
Each year as my birthday comes and goes, I think to myself, am I doing what I want to be, am I who I want to be for myself, my kids, my husband, my family & friends? Am I in the kind of health I want to be in at 43 years old? What do I want to do different, does my life flow daily in a healthy, happy way, Am I making the most of opportunities that God puts in front of me?
What is my purpose?
How do I want my kids to live their lives?
Do I spend my time wisely?
Do I surround myself with healthy things, people, activities and thoughts?
I am an Aquarius. At least I used to be, I haven't looked at that stuff on FB re: your zodiac sign changing....
Anyway - I love the water, I love warm air, I love being outside, I love the mystery of the ocean, I love not wearing shoes. I am drawn to this climate.
I honestly believe that when Alexander, Benjamin & Carlie graduate from college, they will have to know another language. I know you can learn Spanish at FSHS or LHS. But, I want my children to be versed. I don't just mean that they can hold a conversation with you and look you in the eye. I want them to know what they want. I want them to have experience in different situations that will give them the edge. I want them to be able to roll. I want them to have dealt with different situations that will help them in their lives at some point, in some way or on one day!
At home, I was feeling like I was never in control. And I don't mean, I didn't get to decide where we ate dinner - I mean, I was just bobbing along. Not doing anything great - just doing lots of great things that maybe I wasn't making great because of something else.......
Youth sports absolutely dictate my life. On pretty much any given day in our home - someone outside my house is dictating what my family does.
I'm not saying it's something I didn't sign up for. I knew when I enrolled all 3 of my kids in piano lessons that that came with a price of time. I knew when Alexander decided he wanted to play sports - and not just 1 sport (God forbid) that that would mean a commitment of my time ( I really mean my family time ).
I knew all of these things, but one thing I don't remember from my childhood is that daily, there is SOMETHING that HAS to be done. I'm not talking about taking out the trash, pulling weeds, making dinner, doing laundry (oh how i miss my machine!)....
I'm talking about something that someone else has decided for me, as far as time, place, length of activity, day.....
For example, baseball practice. Sundays......SUNDAYS.....really? In my mind, Sunday is the worst day imaginable for a baseball practice. Sunday is the day you just do. Church, Dinner, then, whatever it is you want to do. Play in a creek, horseback ride, play whiffle ball, football, go for a bike ride, explore, whatever it is that sparks something in you, it seems to me that Sunday is the day that you should do that.
My son even plays in a football league that game days are Sundays..... So there must be a lot of people in the world who think Sunday is a great day for youth activities!
One Thing After Another
Hola!
You know, you say you're going to write in a journal, you think you'll blog. Seems like it will be easy to log everything you do......Then you get there and, where does the time go? What do you spend all your time doing? How come you cannot find the time to do all the things you thought you'd do?
I seriously, no kidding, had this vision of myself, spending time EACH DAY on the beach. Time=More than looking out there over my shoulder as I rush kids to the next thing. I really thought I would tan myself daily - hahahahahahahahahahaha NOT!
So, just because I don't blog about it and I haven't filled my very cool journal I bought @ Barnes & Noble just before Christmas @ Town Center, doesn't mean that every single day, something doesn't happen to me that is completely worth blogging or journaling about. Oh Contrair
Last week, I sent my son to football practice in a vehicle built for 3 with 3 other people.....
As he was running to the truck/golf cart/utility sled looking auto....I hollered - don't forget, you need a ride home too. I don't have a way to get you so just let his mom know you will need a ride home as well......
Practice is suppose to be over @ 5:30 - you know how football coaches are (what am I talking about - ANY coach) I'll give him 20 minutes.... It's a 15 minute (tops) ride back home. So, 6:15pm (way after dark) I start thinking, umm, wonder when Bo will be home..... Just a few minutes after that thought - Ben says, Mama, shouldn't Bo be home by now?
I know he should be home for sure but Ben tends to FREAK about his brother at the slightest thing so I calmly say, I'm sure he'll be home soon.
Up I jump to go to the front of the condo, like that will make a difference, to look for him.
Not in sight. Ben comes running after me and says Bo is home - he came to the condo from the 'back' side????? I'm wondering, what the heck and Ben says - Mama, he said, we're not going to believe this story.
The Mom in me is coming out - Doesn't sound like my kind of story?!!
If you know how stories go from Bo - they could take hours, including painful extremely detailed specifics that really don't matter to anyone or thing.
He says, Mom - I couldn't find my new Underarmour head band - - so I stayed to look for it - - and by the time I found it, Most everyone was gone......
My eyebrow goes up.....
So, I found Blah Blah and asked him if I could have a ride and he says, I guess so.
Along comes an old beat up Volkswagen, Who knows what kind of car it was but Bo claims it was a VW and in gets 3 teen boys, Blah Blah and my precious son. Once again, a little over maximum capacity.
There are lots of speed bumps/humps between here and Calica, where Caballeros football practice is held...
Without going into a ton of detail, The car had to be pushed up a hill and over a speed hump (& Topes) or several before Bo made it home ok. Although he did find his red headband - he didn't make it home with his passport - he wasn't sure where that was.
He was eager to remake the sounds of the car for me and even asked, Mom did you hear us coming?
You know, you say you're going to write in a journal, you think you'll blog. Seems like it will be easy to log everything you do......Then you get there and, where does the time go? What do you spend all your time doing? How come you cannot find the time to do all the things you thought you'd do?
I seriously, no kidding, had this vision of myself, spending time EACH DAY on the beach. Time=More than looking out there over my shoulder as I rush kids to the next thing. I really thought I would tan myself daily - hahahahahahahahahahaha NOT!
So, just because I don't blog about it and I haven't filled my very cool journal I bought @ Barnes & Noble just before Christmas @ Town Center, doesn't mean that every single day, something doesn't happen to me that is completely worth blogging or journaling about. Oh Contrair
Last week, I sent my son to football practice in a vehicle built for 3 with 3 other people.....
As he was running to the truck/golf cart/utility sled looking auto....I hollered - don't forget, you need a ride home too. I don't have a way to get you so just let his mom know you will need a ride home as well......
Practice is suppose to be over @ 5:30 - you know how football coaches are (what am I talking about - ANY coach) I'll give him 20 minutes.... It's a 15 minute (tops) ride back home. So, 6:15pm (way after dark) I start thinking, umm, wonder when Bo will be home..... Just a few minutes after that thought - Ben says, Mama, shouldn't Bo be home by now?
I know he should be home for sure but Ben tends to FREAK about his brother at the slightest thing so I calmly say, I'm sure he'll be home soon.
Up I jump to go to the front of the condo, like that will make a difference, to look for him.
Not in sight. Ben comes running after me and says Bo is home - he came to the condo from the 'back' side????? I'm wondering, what the heck and Ben says - Mama, he said, we're not going to believe this story.
The Mom in me is coming out - Doesn't sound like my kind of story?!!
If you know how stories go from Bo - they could take hours, including painful extremely detailed specifics that really don't matter to anyone or thing.
He says, Mom - I couldn't find my new Underarmour head band - - so I stayed to look for it - - and by the time I found it, Most everyone was gone......
My eyebrow goes up.....
So, I found Blah Blah and asked him if I could have a ride and he says, I guess so.
Along comes an old beat up Volkswagen, Who knows what kind of car it was but Bo claims it was a VW and in gets 3 teen boys, Blah Blah and my precious son. Once again, a little over maximum capacity.
There are lots of speed bumps/humps between here and Calica, where Caballeros football practice is held...
Without going into a ton of detail, The car had to be pushed up a hill and over a speed hump (& Topes) or several before Bo made it home ok. Although he did find his red headband - he didn't make it home with his passport - he wasn't sure where that was.
He was eager to remake the sounds of the car for me and even asked, Mom did you hear us coming?
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Life Keeps Moving
It's been a year and a half since we decided to pack up and haul it to Mexico for a few months.
I remember that day very vividly, my teeth chattering and hands shaking as I booked the flights for my babies and I go leave Kansas and go to Playa del Carmen.
Wow - Life hasn't slowed down a bit since. Kids are growing, changing, maturing and still always up for an adventure.
We have sent over 100 friends to Mexico since and someone is constantly asking me to share experiences with them or where should they go to eat or what should they do while they are in the Riviera Maya. I guess I should keep my blog more current so that I can easily guide someone to this page and not have to gather each time, all the information and photos for all my friends.
It's amazing how after friends come back to Kansas, they say, "Wow, our trip was amazing thanks to all the insight you shared with us before we left!"
So, I will try to do that here real soon.
On another note.....Each day of our lives we have continued to be touched by Mexico in some way.
Daniel will be back with us next week to complete his Senior Year of High School here in Lawrence. He had such a great experience last school year @ Bishop Seabury Academy that he is coming back for more!
The last 3 weeks we have had the opportunity to share with our friend, Nacho, who we met way back in 2009 when we were told we shouldn't have Mexicans in our house that they carry diseases including Swine Flu! Gotta love those kinds of Doctor Friends who try to put the Kaboosh on great experiences due to their uneducated, biases.
Anyway, Nacho, has been here for nearly a month and we have LOVED every minute of our time with him. We got to take him to Colorado and Wyoming. Having him and his family in our lives has been a true blessing.
I've got to sign off now - busy with Daisy Hill Goods and turning over rental properties.
I promise to be in touch soon
xoxo
I remember that day very vividly, my teeth chattering and hands shaking as I booked the flights for my babies and I go leave Kansas and go to Playa del Carmen.
Wow - Life hasn't slowed down a bit since. Kids are growing, changing, maturing and still always up for an adventure.
We have sent over 100 friends to Mexico since and someone is constantly asking me to share experiences with them or where should they go to eat or what should they do while they are in the Riviera Maya. I guess I should keep my blog more current so that I can easily guide someone to this page and not have to gather each time, all the information and photos for all my friends.
It's amazing how after friends come back to Kansas, they say, "Wow, our trip was amazing thanks to all the insight you shared with us before we left!"
So, I will try to do that here real soon.
On another note.....Each day of our lives we have continued to be touched by Mexico in some way.
Daniel will be back with us next week to complete his Senior Year of High School here in Lawrence. He had such a great experience last school year @ Bishop Seabury Academy that he is coming back for more!
The last 3 weeks we have had the opportunity to share with our friend, Nacho, who we met way back in 2009 when we were told we shouldn't have Mexicans in our house that they carry diseases including Swine Flu! Gotta love those kinds of Doctor Friends who try to put the Kaboosh on great experiences due to their uneducated, biases.
Anyway, Nacho, has been here for nearly a month and we have LOVED every minute of our time with him. We got to take him to Colorado and Wyoming. Having him and his family in our lives has been a true blessing.
I've got to sign off now - busy with Daisy Hill Goods and turning over rental properties.
I promise to be in touch soon
xoxo
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
March 16, 2010
The thought of leaving is starting to make me feel very sad, almost sick!
Not sure how we are all going to handle it next week. It will be interesting like everything else we have done since 1-1-11.
We have really had nearly perfect weather. The times it has rained has seemed perfect too. Like the perfect washing that everything needed or a huge drink of fresh water.
I have crossed paths with some cool folks. I have made friendships that I am certain will last forever!
I feel comfortable, safe and at ease here.
I really wonder what it will be like to leave.
Not sure how we are all going to handle it next week. It will be interesting like everything else we have done since 1-1-11.
We have really had nearly perfect weather. The times it has rained has seemed perfect too. Like the perfect washing that everything needed or a huge drink of fresh water.
I have crossed paths with some cool folks. I have made friendships that I am certain will last forever!
I feel comfortable, safe and at ease here.
I really wonder what it will be like to leave.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
GOOD EATS
HERE YOU GO - after lots of requests - I will try to keep updating this with more information & pictures of these great restaurants as I get them.
These are not in any certain order - one of these days I may rank them.
• Los Aqua Chiles - this place is SO GOOD - on the southwest corner of Calle 34 Nte. & 25th Avenue Nte. Beware: they close @ 6:30pm.
Great Grilled Shrimp tacos. you can get them on flour or corn, i suggest corn.
Try one of each taco the first time you go. The 'LosAguaChiles' is awesome too. It is on a big piece of lettuce - so good. They also have great dips that are in like plastic pour containers. LOVE IT!
• El Fogon - There are several in town - We prefer the one located on Constituyentes just east of 30th Ave. Across from Mega Grocery Store.
The Pastor is the meat off the big rack that they are cooking as you walk in. Just take a seat at an open table or wait on the sidewalk for something to open up. Margaritas are great too. Very authentic - you will love it! yummy pico.
• La Ceiba - on 30th Avenue just north of Constituyentes (around corner from el fogon). This place is fabulous - it's located on the porch of an open market. They have perfect juices & smoothies. They have a menu in English too. Their mixed salad is great and I like to get it and share the Arrachera tacos - then you can add the salad to the taco - Muey bien. Kukulan is my favorite juice. Ask for it in the 'grande blanco' cup. My kids love the 'breaded chicken' with alfredo pasta. The grilled chicken is even better. Make sure you walk thru the market before you leave. Friendly staff.
• Chez Celine - 5th Ave & calle 34. French Bakery - do i need to say more? Closed on Mondays.
www.chezceline.com.mx breakfast specials - omlet comes with a hot drink of your choice & fresh OJ. Make sure you get a croissant. They make their jams and the flavor is different every day. Bread comes to your table in a big basket. Sit outside if you can.
These are not in any certain order - one of these days I may rank them.
• Los Aqua Chiles - this place is SO GOOD - on the southwest corner of Calle 34 Nte. & 25th Avenue Nte. Beware: they close @ 6:30pm.
Great Grilled Shrimp tacos. you can get them on flour or corn, i suggest corn.
Try one of each taco the first time you go. The 'LosAguaChiles' is awesome too. It is on a big piece of lettuce - so good. They also have great dips that are in like plastic pour containers. LOVE IT!
• El Fogon - There are several in town - We prefer the one located on Constituyentes just east of 30th Ave. Across from Mega Grocery Store.
The Pastor is the meat off the big rack that they are cooking as you walk in. Just take a seat at an open table or wait on the sidewalk for something to open up. Margaritas are great too. Very authentic - you will love it! yummy pico.
• La Ceiba - on 30th Avenue just north of Constituyentes (around corner from el fogon). This place is fabulous - it's located on the porch of an open market. They have perfect juices & smoothies. They have a menu in English too. Their mixed salad is great and I like to get it and share the Arrachera tacos - then you can add the salad to the taco - Muey bien. Kukulan is my favorite juice. Ask for it in the 'grande blanco' cup. My kids love the 'breaded chicken' with alfredo pasta. The grilled chicken is even better. Make sure you walk thru the market before you leave. Friendly staff.
• Chez Celine - 5th Ave & calle 34. French Bakery - do i need to say more? Closed on Mondays.
www.chezceline.com.mx breakfast specials - omlet comes with a hot drink of your choice & fresh OJ. Make sure you get a croissant. They make their jams and the flavor is different every day. Bread comes to your table in a big basket. Sit outside if you can.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Vacation? What's that?
One month from right now, I will be in Kansas. Probably have my belly full of french fries and maybe even a burger - for sure I will have a 32oz (or route 44) Diet Coke with lots of ice and a lid and straw in my hand!
This morning on our way to school, Bo said - "It'd be a great day if we were on vacation!"
Amigo, I couldn't agree more!
We are back at it!
Monday - basketball practice
Tuesday - football practice
Wednesday - basketball & football practice (2 different time & 2 different locations)
Thursday - football practice
Friday - football practice & basketball game
Saturday - football game
That leaves Sunday to practice the piano for 3 kids, practice the violin, do homework from here and homework from there......oh and go to the beach when we have a minute!
And as I'm typing this - I just remembered that Bo needs 'bubbles' for a science project for tomorrow morning.......bubbles? that's if he translated it correctly. I did remember to get a black trash bag that he also needs.
I was up at school 7 times today (SEVEN) and I honestly thought I would spend my 'free' time on the beach while I was here.......jajajajajajaj or hohohohohoho (as they would write down here instead of: hahahahahaha)
Had to turn money in for field trip for both boys - had only signed one permission slip. We're house sitting and the recorders for music class were back @ the condo.....
back and forth back and forth.
Things have gone great - they really have. The tailspin I was in due to Sis Mill not liking school seems to be so long ago. She loves her new school and her teachers are amazing - all 5 of them.
I do know that when she is at school, she is still scared - imagine how you would be @ 5 years old in a space where, really no one, speaks your language. You have no connections with anyone. She often mentions a different feeling that she has while she's at school and my heart aches for her. She approaches it with a smile and an, 'I can do it attitude' but it still makes me ache that she isn't with Ms. Fewins, "safe, warm & dry" and messing with glitter.
She is strong and I know these skills she is learning now will help her for the rest of her life.
The boys are doing great.
They miss their friends - they miss certain things.
Ben and I went for a long bike ride 2 nights ago. We were hauling some major hiney on these old bikes. It was a great feeling!
Alexander said today - he feels most comfortable in Kansas - I was glad to hear that. I said, well, that's good - you should feel most comfortable at 'home'!
Tomorrow the boys are competing in a track meet. I wish I knew more about what they are doing but I really don't. I know that Bo is in 4 events and Ben in 3.
Relay, Long Jump, Throwing, Running race.
I am excited to see how it goes and what it is. I really have no idea what to expect.
Last friday we had our first school party!
That was fun! Very fun. Great ideas to take back home for school parties there!
Today when I picked Ben up from basketball practice, Profe (PE teacher) (who speaks NO AMERICANO) told me that the boys get out of school tomorrow @ 12:30. That, of course, is great news to me! They need to be ready for this competition. That gives them time to eat, rest and be ready!
Maybe even sneak a few skim board runs in!!!!
The beach has been perfect for it!
6am comes really early - I have to be up and running!
I really am loving it here! Couldn't ask for more perfect winter weather! I really cannot imagine wanting to be anywhere else!
La Vida es Buena
This morning on our way to school, Bo said - "It'd be a great day if we were on vacation!"
Amigo, I couldn't agree more!
We are back at it!
Monday - basketball practice
Tuesday - football practice
Wednesday - basketball & football practice (2 different time & 2 different locations)
Thursday - football practice
Friday - football practice & basketball game
Saturday - football game
That leaves Sunday to practice the piano for 3 kids, practice the violin, do homework from here and homework from there......oh and go to the beach when we have a minute!
And as I'm typing this - I just remembered that Bo needs 'bubbles' for a science project for tomorrow morning.......bubbles? that's if he translated it correctly. I did remember to get a black trash bag that he also needs.
I was up at school 7 times today (SEVEN) and I honestly thought I would spend my 'free' time on the beach while I was here.......jajajajajajaj or hohohohohoho (as they would write down here instead of: hahahahahaha)
Had to turn money in for field trip for both boys - had only signed one permission slip. We're house sitting and the recorders for music class were back @ the condo.....
back and forth back and forth.
Things have gone great - they really have. The tailspin I was in due to Sis Mill not liking school seems to be so long ago. She loves her new school and her teachers are amazing - all 5 of them.
I do know that when she is at school, she is still scared - imagine how you would be @ 5 years old in a space where, really no one, speaks your language. You have no connections with anyone. She often mentions a different feeling that she has while she's at school and my heart aches for her. She approaches it with a smile and an, 'I can do it attitude' but it still makes me ache that she isn't with Ms. Fewins, "safe, warm & dry" and messing with glitter.
She is strong and I know these skills she is learning now will help her for the rest of her life.
The boys are doing great.
They miss their friends - they miss certain things.
Ben and I went for a long bike ride 2 nights ago. We were hauling some major hiney on these old bikes. It was a great feeling!
Alexander said today - he feels most comfortable in Kansas - I was glad to hear that. I said, well, that's good - you should feel most comfortable at 'home'!
Tomorrow the boys are competing in a track meet. I wish I knew more about what they are doing but I really don't. I know that Bo is in 4 events and Ben in 3.
Relay, Long Jump, Throwing, Running race.
I am excited to see how it goes and what it is. I really have no idea what to expect.
Last friday we had our first school party!
That was fun! Very fun. Great ideas to take back home for school parties there!
Today when I picked Ben up from basketball practice, Profe (PE teacher) (who speaks NO AMERICANO) told me that the boys get out of school tomorrow @ 12:30. That, of course, is great news to me! They need to be ready for this competition. That gives them time to eat, rest and be ready!
Maybe even sneak a few skim board runs in!!!!
The beach has been perfect for it!
6am comes really early - I have to be up and running!
I really am loving it here! Couldn't ask for more perfect winter weather! I really cannot imagine wanting to be anywhere else!
La Vida es Buena
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Spanish? I haven't heard em'!
Well - Since Carlie is in a new school, every day I get an update from her teacher. Since her teacher doesn't speak English, she talks to Maca and I get bits and pieces (Feliz is always a part of it).
Today after we picked up our 3 beautiful children and were walking to the car, Maca said - her teacher said she's so happy and she talks to her in Spanish!
I am like, WHAT? What do you mean she talks to her in Spanish? Carlie talks Spanish?
Maca: That's what she said....
So, tomorrow, I will find out what the heck it means that Carlie talks to her teacher in Spanish!
I asked Carlie, "Do you know any words in Spanish?"
Carlie: Maybe a few.....
I will investigate more tomorrow and if I have to spy, I will!!!!
Both boys are in it.....
Last week the PE teacher gave Ben directions on what to do, and off he went - like he completely understood.
Bo is playing football........Coaches speak Spanish........He knows all the plays and what to do.
It's crazy to me but they must be understanding something.
Week by week it's different.
Bo said tonight - when we leave here there's no way I will be talking in Spanish - I thought, well how on earth are you on a football team with Spanish Speaking Coaches? When I watched practice Tuesday night he seemed to be completely aware of what was going on.
Tonight he was telling me all the plays and I said, who told you that? He said, Coach! so.....??
They are learning! :-)
Looking forward to the weekend and my dad coming to visit!
We have had rain the last 2 night but not during the day. I am glad it's raining now, surely it will all be over by Saturday.
Today after we picked up our 3 beautiful children and were walking to the car, Maca said - her teacher said she's so happy and she talks to her in Spanish!
I am like, WHAT? What do you mean she talks to her in Spanish? Carlie talks Spanish?
Maca: That's what she said....
So, tomorrow, I will find out what the heck it means that Carlie talks to her teacher in Spanish!
I asked Carlie, "Do you know any words in Spanish?"
Carlie: Maybe a few.....
I will investigate more tomorrow and if I have to spy, I will!!!!
Both boys are in it.....
Last week the PE teacher gave Ben directions on what to do, and off he went - like he completely understood.
Bo is playing football........Coaches speak Spanish........He knows all the plays and what to do.
It's crazy to me but they must be understanding something.
Week by week it's different.
Bo said tonight - when we leave here there's no way I will be talking in Spanish - I thought, well how on earth are you on a football team with Spanish Speaking Coaches? When I watched practice Tuesday night he seemed to be completely aware of what was going on.
Tonight he was telling me all the plays and I said, who told you that? He said, Coach! so.....??
They are learning! :-)
Looking forward to the weekend and my dad coming to visit!
We have had rain the last 2 night but not during the day. I am glad it's raining now, surely it will all be over by Saturday.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Super Sunday
Since I don't have the rights - Super Sunday seems like a perfect name for today anyway!
This is the first time I have had the thought cross my mind, 'I wonder how many more days we are going to be here?'
I think before now, I have always felt like it was still a long time. I didn't go to the calendar and check but for some reason, today - I am concerned about leaving.
The kids are all doing great. Carlie is happy. Quinn came and saw what we are up to. My dad is coming in 6 days. Things all seem to be going smoothly. The unknowns are small and I am comfortable.
Could have something to do with my love for being outside, not wearing shoes, sunshine, the power and mystery of the sea.
I have my mind full of all the things we have experienced. It is really thrilling.
Observing the boys here has been a real treat too. Watching them interact in so many different situations - they have no idea how brave they have been. I may never tell them but I am sure that they will use this trait forever.
The patience they have learned for time, difference, uncertainty, values, I have to think all those things are way more valuable than any thing else we learn while we are here.
The ability to make a friend in an instant - no matter the color of their skin or the speak that comes off their tongue.
It makes learning Spanish seem like second fiddle.
I have the laptop out on the patio and the sounds of kids screaming, laughing, splashing, and of course marco-polo are 5' over my right shoulder.
Jackson is in our 'club' today, he's from Canada. We have no idea how long he will be here but they offer him one of our pool toys and they are off like old friends.
They have made some other friends who come to XamanHa on the weekends - they are thrilled to see that we are still here. They speak no English but the fun is just the same.
Kids are Kids and I love being a kid!
This is the first time I have had the thought cross my mind, 'I wonder how many more days we are going to be here?'
I think before now, I have always felt like it was still a long time. I didn't go to the calendar and check but for some reason, today - I am concerned about leaving.
The kids are all doing great. Carlie is happy. Quinn came and saw what we are up to. My dad is coming in 6 days. Things all seem to be going smoothly. The unknowns are small and I am comfortable.
Could have something to do with my love for being outside, not wearing shoes, sunshine, the power and mystery of the sea.
I have my mind full of all the things we have experienced. It is really thrilling.
Observing the boys here has been a real treat too. Watching them interact in so many different situations - they have no idea how brave they have been. I may never tell them but I am sure that they will use this trait forever.
The patience they have learned for time, difference, uncertainty, values, I have to think all those things are way more valuable than any thing else we learn while we are here.
The ability to make a friend in an instant - no matter the color of their skin or the speak that comes off their tongue.
It makes learning Spanish seem like second fiddle.
I have the laptop out on the patio and the sounds of kids screaming, laughing, splashing, and of course marco-polo are 5' over my right shoulder.
Jackson is in our 'club' today, he's from Canada. We have no idea how long he will be here but they offer him one of our pool toys and they are off like old friends.
They have made some other friends who come to XamanHa on the weekends - they are thrilled to see that we are still here. They speak no English but the fun is just the same.
Kids are Kids and I love being a kid!
Friday, February 4, 2011
McCoy
It didn't take me long to realize that life is life no matter if you are in Lawrence, Kansas or Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
Life is life; kids are kids; moms are moms; school is school; youth sports are youth sports; love is love; loss is loss.
All of these things I will explain at some point because I have found them all very important during my stay here. But today - the pain I have felt this entire day - it seems like here, on this absolutely perfect day - No clouds, slight breeze, 78-82 degrees that loss would be easier but I have found that is just not true.
Today, I lost my bestest friend, really - and even though I haven't seem McCoy since early on January 1. I have thought about him every day and I have missed him every day. Even though I knew there was a chance when I hugged and kissed him goodbye that morning, way before he would have normally gotten up... I really thought I would see him again.
I am forever in debt to my dad for handling this in, I am positive, the most loving way.
I am sure it was as horrible for him as it would have been for me.
I am grateful that I knew I could call him and know that I didn't need to do anything else.
As painful as it has been for me today, with the entire situation of McCoy, his health, his illness, his diagnosis - - being here, in this beautiful place didn't cushion the pain one bit.
Loss is Loss.
I am thankful that I was able to give McCoy all the things I did to make him a GREAT dog!
Puppy kindergarten, Agility Training, Long Walks, Long Runs - he was my personal trainer when I ran my great race in 2004. He was never left at home - he did it all. He could do anything.
I guess I am trying to do the same for my children in giving them all those experiences to make them great people.
Today has sucked from beginning to end for me.
When I woke up this morning, I thought - man I slept good - then started to cry.
I guess what I'm trying to say is: No matter where you are - feelings are feelings, loss is loss and Pain is Pain!
Here's to you my boy! Thanks for giving me constant love and protection for the last 14 years.
There won't be a day go by when I won't miss you, think of all the fun times we have shared, all the cool places we have been together and all the secrets you kept!
You never let me down, I was very lucky to call you mine.
McCoy McCoy McCoy
I love you!
Life is life; kids are kids; moms are moms; school is school; youth sports are youth sports; love is love; loss is loss.
All of these things I will explain at some point because I have found them all very important during my stay here. But today - the pain I have felt this entire day - it seems like here, on this absolutely perfect day - No clouds, slight breeze, 78-82 degrees that loss would be easier but I have found that is just not true.
Today, I lost my bestest friend, really - and even though I haven't seem McCoy since early on January 1. I have thought about him every day and I have missed him every day. Even though I knew there was a chance when I hugged and kissed him goodbye that morning, way before he would have normally gotten up... I really thought I would see him again.
I am forever in debt to my dad for handling this in, I am positive, the most loving way.
I am sure it was as horrible for him as it would have been for me.
I am grateful that I knew I could call him and know that I didn't need to do anything else.
As painful as it has been for me today, with the entire situation of McCoy, his health, his illness, his diagnosis - - being here, in this beautiful place didn't cushion the pain one bit.
Loss is Loss.
I am thankful that I was able to give McCoy all the things I did to make him a GREAT dog!
Puppy kindergarten, Agility Training, Long Walks, Long Runs - he was my personal trainer when I ran my great race in 2004. He was never left at home - he did it all. He could do anything.
I guess I am trying to do the same for my children in giving them all those experiences to make them great people.
Today has sucked from beginning to end for me.
When I woke up this morning, I thought - man I slept good - then started to cry.
I guess what I'm trying to say is: No matter where you are - feelings are feelings, loss is loss and Pain is Pain!
Here's to you my boy! Thanks for giving me constant love and protection for the last 14 years.
There won't be a day go by when I won't miss you, think of all the fun times we have shared, all the cool places we have been together and all the secrets you kept!
You never let me down, I was very lucky to call you mine.
McCoy McCoy McCoy
I love you!
Feliz Cumpleaños
Another year older, another year wiser!
31 days in Mexico and I have had many years worth of experiences.
I sat in my first Spanish Mass on Sunday - on the back row, in front of an open window - sun beating down on my back; Ben & Carlie complaining about how hot they were.
That there, was an experience, just sitting in church, in January, with windows open.....
Then you add - all these people gathered for the same thing. The Usher saying Arriba, Arriba to us - I had not idea what that meant but I knew it didn't mean, have a seat here in this section where no one is sitting. Ben seemed to understand too - he was in the lead and kept on walking to the stairs. During mass there were little kids crawling all around, Moms trying to hush them, handing out snacks, digging in their purses for money to give the little hands to drop into the basket that made the rounds.
In a different 'world'. Everything seemed different: weather, smells, sounds, language, the sound of the bell just before communion (it sounded like a cow bell), windows, what everyone was wearing, what they ate for breakfast, the choir (couldn't help but think of our choir @ CC) there were 3 men in this choir - with amazing voices. Wooded benches, concrete steps for benches in the balcony, wooden kneelers -
Praying The Lords Prayer was amazing - even though I was certainly the only one speaking it in English, it was like we were all speaking the same language, the pauses were the same, we ended at the same time, it was amazing to me -
At times, these countries seem so diverse but on this day, I realized - we are 1 people, 1 faith, 1 God and it was such a good feeling to me.
It was a great way for me to End my 42nd year and start my 43rd.
How large the world, How large the faith in a time where it's easy to wonder........Where is the faith?
31 days in Mexico and I have had many years worth of experiences.
I sat in my first Spanish Mass on Sunday - on the back row, in front of an open window - sun beating down on my back; Ben & Carlie complaining about how hot they were.
That there, was an experience, just sitting in church, in January, with windows open.....
Then you add - all these people gathered for the same thing. The Usher saying Arriba, Arriba to us - I had not idea what that meant but I knew it didn't mean, have a seat here in this section where no one is sitting. Ben seemed to understand too - he was in the lead and kept on walking to the stairs. During mass there were little kids crawling all around, Moms trying to hush them, handing out snacks, digging in their purses for money to give the little hands to drop into the basket that made the rounds.
In a different 'world'. Everything seemed different: weather, smells, sounds, language, the sound of the bell just before communion (it sounded like a cow bell), windows, what everyone was wearing, what they ate for breakfast, the choir (couldn't help but think of our choir @ CC) there were 3 men in this choir - with amazing voices. Wooded benches, concrete steps for benches in the balcony, wooden kneelers -
Praying The Lords Prayer was amazing - even though I was certainly the only one speaking it in English, it was like we were all speaking the same language, the pauses were the same, we ended at the same time, it was amazing to me -
At times, these countries seem so diverse but on this day, I realized - we are 1 people, 1 faith, 1 God and it was such a good feeling to me.
It was a great way for me to End my 42nd year and start my 43rd.
How large the world, How large the faith in a time where it's easy to wonder........Where is the faith?
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
New School
This is day 3 of Carlie @ her new school.... So far so good!
She is happy when I pick her up.
She hugged the teacher goodbye yesterday and this morning told me that there were 3 blonde girls who were older (9) who speak English and talked to her on recess yesterday!
There is a little snack bar with popsicles and she has gotten one each day after school.
Life is Good!
She is happy when I pick her up.
She hugged the teacher goodbye yesterday and this morning told me that there were 3 blonde girls who were older (9) who speak English and talked to her on recess yesterday!
There is a little snack bar with popsicles and she has gotten one each day after school.
Life is Good!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Winter Weather
I think it must be a sign that I am getting spoiled rotten if I think that a 70 something partly cloudy day isn't absolutely perfect!
Today, I actually had that thought, then I looked at my kids playing in this HUGE pile of sand in their swim suits and thought, WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME???
This is a perfect day!
Obviously we have been blessed with GREAT weather since we have been here.
Today, I actually had that thought, then I looked at my kids playing in this HUGE pile of sand in their swim suits and thought, WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME???
This is a perfect day!
Obviously we have been blessed with GREAT weather since we have been here.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Lice Day
Yesterday, Carlie didn't go to school. As we were walking to school, she was crying so hard---I thought to myself, it's not supposed to be like this. So, we turned around and came back to the condo. She worked on spelling all the popcorn words and addition and subtraction from Miss Fewins website and then we did piano together. After that, we took a cab to Sam's Club. I knew it should be about 30-40 pesos to get to Sam's and the guy said 50 pesos, I said, for round trip? He said no and gave me this schpeal about that must be another taxi service that this is a blah blah blah, I said whatever and we were at Sam's in 3 minutes.
As I got out of the cab, I saw no other Taxi's so I said to the man checking my Sam's Card....taxi?? he acted like no problem.....I knew I was going to be in a toot because it was 10 til 1 and I had to get the boys between 1:30 and 1:45 and I had never gotten there after 1:30pm.
Carlie and I got the things we needed, mostly, couldn't find peanut butter or rechargeable batteries and got some things we didn't.....cheesecake and were in the check out line @ 1:30. I am keeping my fingers crossed that there is a cab waiting for me at the exit. Sure enough, there was a taxi there, we hopped in, instead of just giving the guy 40 pesos I aksed how much, in spanish, of course and he said 35 pesos. I look at my watch ( I actually wore for the first time knowing I needed to keep on schedule to get the boys) and realize there's no time to drop off groceries so I tell him, 'Escuela Manuel Acosta'. Off we go. As we pull up to the school I ask him, if he'd wait for me and then take me home with the kids and groceries. I'm not sure he understood until I wasn't getting my groceries out of his trunk.........I tell Carlie to run and get the boys! Ben came running and Alexander didn't - by this time, the police was screaming at the driver thru the driver window, 3 cars were behind us honking and I am jumping in the front seat and screaming at Bo to hurry up! He has his little look on his face that he always gets when he has no idea what's going on. I am trying to tell the driver I'm sorry - he's arguing with the policia all the while he's driving away and Alexander isn't completely in the cab and his door is still open.......
Alexander is loudly saying MOM!!!!! I respond SHUT YOUR DOOR!!!!!!!
For the first time ever, I had remembered to haul shopping bags to Sam's so we were easily able to unload everything and as we're walking down the steps to the pool - alexander says - Mom, we can't go to school tomorrow, we have lice.....I"m thinking WOOHOO 3 day weekend!!!!
Guess they did an all school check yesterday and over half the kids couldn't go to school today, mine included. Since Carlie wasn't at school, I did what you all know I'd do and decided she should skip today too!!!
Our Lice Day started out with Zucritas and Leche and fruit - wish I knew the word for strawberries but I don't. Then I got right to combing hair. I found 1 tiny little egg in each of the boys hair and several in Carlies, although I am feeling like hers were dead ones from our last treatment. I heard if they snap when you push on them, they're dead. So, who knows, at least I picked as many out as i saw then looked again and again, all the while sitting on the wall in the hot hot sun!
Ben, Carlie & I hauled all our bedding and towels to the laundry last night while Alexander and Mikel (Andreas Mom called and he doesn't have lice so he didn't come) worked on their class project. I decided that is the last time we take our laundry there - the load we brought home, had some things in it that weren't ours......talk about completely grossing me out..... We will go back to the lady who has done it before with her garden hose - it's not A/Ced with a nice sign on the door, it's 4 blocks further & I think it may cost a little but but for some reason I don't think she mixes our laundry with that of complete strangers????
After lunch, we are going to rest. We worked on SJ homework this morning and Ben & Carlie played the piano again. Then we are going to scout out some hotels for some friends who are planning a trip here. After that, we are headed to pizza for dinner. Looking forward to that! May even have to get a dirty monkey for the walk home, possibly get a glimpse of the Sr Frog Dancers and call it another good Friday in PdC.
It's Hot here! Hot. My neck is on fire and I am partially shaded by the palm tree here to my right.
I am missing my washing machine more than I ever ever dreamed and I promise I will never complain again about doing laundry in my own home, with my choice of detergent & fabric softener and with only clothes in my machine that someone I know has soiled!
As I got out of the cab, I saw no other Taxi's so I said to the man checking my Sam's Card....taxi?? he acted like no problem.....I knew I was going to be in a toot because it was 10 til 1 and I had to get the boys between 1:30 and 1:45 and I had never gotten there after 1:30pm.
Carlie and I got the things we needed, mostly, couldn't find peanut butter or rechargeable batteries and got some things we didn't.....cheesecake and were in the check out line @ 1:30. I am keeping my fingers crossed that there is a cab waiting for me at the exit. Sure enough, there was a taxi there, we hopped in, instead of just giving the guy 40 pesos I aksed how much, in spanish, of course and he said 35 pesos. I look at my watch ( I actually wore for the first time knowing I needed to keep on schedule to get the boys) and realize there's no time to drop off groceries so I tell him, 'Escuela Manuel Acosta'. Off we go. As we pull up to the school I ask him, if he'd wait for me and then take me home with the kids and groceries. I'm not sure he understood until I wasn't getting my groceries out of his trunk.........I tell Carlie to run and get the boys! Ben came running and Alexander didn't - by this time, the police was screaming at the driver thru the driver window, 3 cars were behind us honking and I am jumping in the front seat and screaming at Bo to hurry up! He has his little look on his face that he always gets when he has no idea what's going on. I am trying to tell the driver I'm sorry - he's arguing with the policia all the while he's driving away and Alexander isn't completely in the cab and his door is still open.......
Alexander is loudly saying MOM!!!!! I respond SHUT YOUR DOOR!!!!!!!
For the first time ever, I had remembered to haul shopping bags to Sam's so we were easily able to unload everything and as we're walking down the steps to the pool - alexander says - Mom, we can't go to school tomorrow, we have lice.....I"m thinking WOOHOO 3 day weekend!!!!
Guess they did an all school check yesterday and over half the kids couldn't go to school today, mine included. Since Carlie wasn't at school, I did what you all know I'd do and decided she should skip today too!!!
Our Lice Day started out with Zucritas and Leche and fruit - wish I knew the word for strawberries but I don't. Then I got right to combing hair. I found 1 tiny little egg in each of the boys hair and several in Carlies, although I am feeling like hers were dead ones from our last treatment. I heard if they snap when you push on them, they're dead. So, who knows, at least I picked as many out as i saw then looked again and again, all the while sitting on the wall in the hot hot sun!
Ben, Carlie & I hauled all our bedding and towels to the laundry last night while Alexander and Mikel (Andreas Mom called and he doesn't have lice so he didn't come) worked on their class project. I decided that is the last time we take our laundry there - the load we brought home, had some things in it that weren't ours......talk about completely grossing me out..... We will go back to the lady who has done it before with her garden hose - it's not A/Ced with a nice sign on the door, it's 4 blocks further & I think it may cost a little but but for some reason I don't think she mixes our laundry with that of complete strangers????
After lunch, we are going to rest. We worked on SJ homework this morning and Ben & Carlie played the piano again. Then we are going to scout out some hotels for some friends who are planning a trip here. After that, we are headed to pizza for dinner. Looking forward to that! May even have to get a dirty monkey for the walk home, possibly get a glimpse of the Sr Frog Dancers and call it another good Friday in PdC.
It's Hot here! Hot. My neck is on fire and I am partially shaded by the palm tree here to my right.
I am missing my washing machine more than I ever ever dreamed and I promise I will never complain again about doing laundry in my own home, with my choice of detergent & fabric softener and with only clothes in my machine that someone I know has soiled!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
hola from MEXICO
life is good down here!!! had a great day of school today. here is a picture of the full moon if u can see it.-bo miller
file:///Users/traciemiller/Desktop/Photo%20on%202011-01-19%20at%2017.51.jpg
file:///Users/traciemiller/Desktop/Photo%20on%202011-01-19%20at%2017.51.jpg
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Lice
Well - Lucky for me we had head lice just before we left Kansas.
Sounds crazy, I know. If we hadn't had it, I wouldn't have had any idea what it was and when I was washing Carlie's hair yesterday, I would have thought it was sand. Lice for sure wouldn't have been the topic of conversation when I told my girlfriends here about my hectic week preparing for this adventure.
Come to find out that head lice is more common here than hotdogs are at a summer BBQ in Kansas.
Nothing like getting a lice comb as a welcome to the neighborhood gift.
Also, lucky for me that Quinn drove all over Lawrence the day before we left after Ben and I had gone to 3 places looking for a stock pile for us to bring down here.
So - as fate would have it........because we had lice there, I am totally prepared for having lice here.......
When in Rome do as the Romans.
Carlie skipped school today so that I could pick tiny little white things out of her long, thick hair!
Then I treated myself; since I haven't gotten the nerve to ask Mim, who is vacationing here from NY this week to dig thru my hair.
Fun, especially when it's a beautiful day and you're inside acting like an chimp.
Except I wasn't eating what I was picking out of Carlie's hair.
Rubi, I think she is our principal but I am not sure, had the school nurse check Carlie's class and yes indeed, 2 other kindergarteners are carrying the tiny little bugs as well.
If head lice is the worst of things we can pick up here then I am good with that.
It was much easier to get it here where everyone deals with it on a nearly daily basis than in KS where it seemed like an STD.
So - Thanks to Debbie for teaching me all about head lice and thanks to Maca for her super duty lice comb.....You may want to pick up another one while you're in Miami - looks like I will be holding onto this one!
Sounds crazy, I know. If we hadn't had it, I wouldn't have had any idea what it was and when I was washing Carlie's hair yesterday, I would have thought it was sand. Lice for sure wouldn't have been the topic of conversation when I told my girlfriends here about my hectic week preparing for this adventure.
Come to find out that head lice is more common here than hotdogs are at a summer BBQ in Kansas.
Nothing like getting a lice comb as a welcome to the neighborhood gift.
Also, lucky for me that Quinn drove all over Lawrence the day before we left after Ben and I had gone to 3 places looking for a stock pile for us to bring down here.
So - as fate would have it........because we had lice there, I am totally prepared for having lice here.......
When in Rome do as the Romans.
Carlie skipped school today so that I could pick tiny little white things out of her long, thick hair!
Then I treated myself; since I haven't gotten the nerve to ask Mim, who is vacationing here from NY this week to dig thru my hair.
Fun, especially when it's a beautiful day and you're inside acting like an chimp.
Except I wasn't eating what I was picking out of Carlie's hair.
Rubi, I think she is our principal but I am not sure, had the school nurse check Carlie's class and yes indeed, 2 other kindergarteners are carrying the tiny little bugs as well.
If head lice is the worst of things we can pick up here then I am good with that.
It was much easier to get it here where everyone deals with it on a nearly daily basis than in KS where it seemed like an STD.
So - Thanks to Debbie for teaching me all about head lice and thanks to Maca for her super duty lice comb.....You may want to pick up another one while you're in Miami - looks like I will be holding onto this one!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
15 de Enero 2011
What a crazy weather day here. It was chilly this morning. Boys were up early.
We played on the beach for a little bit, no sunrise because of the clouds.
Kids made a maze in the sand and we chased each other thru it. Basically a path - made for a good little work out.
We decided to walk north around the big pier and try to guess when we were getting close to the restaurant we wanted to have breakfast at.
After walking about 150 yards, I told the kids - Mama needs to go back, I am going to be stripping down soon if I don't go back and change into shorts and a T. So Carlie and I headed back to leave our sweatshirts & change into 'warm' weather clothes--we never regretted it! I didn't get half way home and ran into a man I know walking his 2 pugs on the beach. Sergio, team doctor of the Caballeros and father of Gustavo, one of our favorite buds here.
It's amazing, as hard as it is to believe, I rarely leave here and not run into someone I know! No kidding!
Anyway - we walked about 20 or more blocks and headed inland thru hotel las palapas. Very cool place, I highly recommend it. Each hotel room is it's own palapa. So they have a limit of 4 per room. It is not an all inclusive. Here is the website if you want to check it out. laspalapas.com
Just so happened, that at the end of the long driveway was exactly where we wanted to be.
How lucky is that??
The French bakery, Chez Celine that Maca had taken my mom and I to on Wednesday. It was very busy so we gave our name to the tall blonde french man who owns the place and took a seat on the very cool blue bench.
The boys had omelets (alexander ate his and half of bens), we all had OJ, hot mint tea & lots of bread with banana jelly.
We enjoyed the different walks of life and nationalities. The kids are really starting to notice different cultures, how they dress and their behaviors. Alexander said, all French women smoke...He also mentioned how different people were dressed. This place pulls all kinds. There were 6 dogs there - six. Several of which were lap dogs and very obviously, never get left at home or in the back yard to run and bark at joggers or KU students headed to and from class.
From there we headed back down 5th Avenue and slowly worked our way South going in and out of shops. It was fun, we hadn't planned to shop on the way home and normally, not all of us want to do that at the same time so this worked out well. We had heard there was a kite store and we really wanted to get a kite to fly. Directly across from the Senor Frogs store, there it was, 'Kiteplayadelcarmen' or something like that - whatever the name was, the word KITE was the first word in the name.
We go in, looking for a kite but didn't see any.
Ben, of course, had to go to the bathroom, the Senor Frog store said they were out of water......so we went back to the kite store, where Bo was still chatting away with the gal who worked there.
They are going thru a catalog on the counter.....
So, I observed and realized that neither had any idea what the other was saying. The lady picked up her cell phone and I could understand, Nino, playa, jugar ...... and she hands the phone to alexander. She must have realized that she wasn't understanding what he was asking her for.
Me, the basic, rational thinker I am, wonders, HOW CAN YOU WORK AT A STORE THAT THE FIRST WORD IN THE NAME OF THE STORE IS KITE AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT A FREAKING KITE IS????????
Alexander can see it in my face what I am thinking and he calms me, "Mom, there are different kinds of kites and she just doesn't know which kind I am talking about......" Whatever - I say!
Alexander is trying to use the 2 words he knows in spanish, now on a cell phone, Ben is doing what Ben always does after we eat and have left the restaurant with the nice clean bathroom only to have to do his business 3 minutes later swearing that he didn't know he was going to have to go when we left the restaurant.....Lucky, the nice non-english speaking lady at the KITE store let ben into this tiny little closet with a toilet in it to do what Ben always does after we eat......
Carlie is trying as hard as she can to find something she wants and I am thinking- how am I going to get out of this KITE store???
Ben, are you done? Not yet Mama.
Are you OK, yes - Did you have an accident? No
whew
Alexander is on the phone for a LONG time, Long enough for me to get a note pad from behind the counter and draw a picture of a KITE - you know, stick person, long string, diamond with a tail...
She says OHHHHH a cometa!!
By this time, I have taken care of ben and carlie is in the closet......I hand ben the empty roll of toilet paper and tell him, go show this to the lady.......
There are lots of things in this closet we are crammed into but I see nothing that looks like toilet paper or nothing that can do the job that toilet paper does.
She comes to the door and says something in Spanish of course and I do understand, NO.
So - - the details of this I will leave out but I must say, I am so clever.
Carlie and I come out of the closet, I close the closet door and hanging right there on the closet door.............
A KITE! 2 actually!
By this time, the last thing I want is a $25usd kite so I say, Muchas Gracias Senora, Muchas Gracias and out the door we go. My 3 ducks straggling behind me wondering why we aren't leaving with a cometa!
I look at my phone and am shocked that it's 5 til 1pm. Where has this day gone, we just had breakfast, I look up and there before me is a sports bar. WOOHOO KU basketball in 5 minutes.
In we go to the EZ (short for End Zone) and get to watch the entire KU game and during half time the K-State game on a huge huge TV. Major Score for Mama!
The rest of our walk home was uneventful, kids were jacking around with each other - I was in and out of a few stores, trying to find Carlie a 1 piece swim suit since they start swimming at school on Monday.
Back home, I tuck everyone in for naps and head out to pick up laundry. The Lavanderia is closed on Sunday and all of our school uniforms are there, clean hopefully - I have been worried I am going to forget them then, have to deal with that on Monday morning. Maca called just as I was walking across the bridge over our pool - my phone doesn't work in our condo and she had been trying to call me 'for 2 hours'. Nacho had something come up and couldn't do the sleep over, another whew - the boys were way too tired for that tonight.
Half way to the Lavanderia, a grey truck stops and backs up on the street - it's Irene. Mom of Chicken Little and Ryan - 2 of the Caballeros who stayed with us in KS.
See - I really can't leave my house with out seeing someone I know! It's true!
It sprinkled here on and off all evening. We never left the condo again except to sit on our patio with blankets, visit about our week, the upcoming week and my expectations of the kids and things I need them to do. Ben was disappointed we didn't go for Churros. I was disappointed I didn't get a glimpse of the Senor Frog Dancers on 5th Avenue.
As we were having our "Team Meeting" Carlie cried that she misses Glitter and Miss Fewins; Alexander cried that he missed the Spelling Bee and will miss the Talent Show. And Ben misses his bike and is sad he cannot remember the names of his new friends here from his class. I again suggested, Call them all ChaChi.
As I was getting Carlie snuggled into bed, I notice water coming down the wall of our condo....
dripping from the ceiling too...... on the floor, bed wet, pillow wet.....just missed my computer by about a millimeter - - ugh!
I will deal with that later - hopefully not a big deal??!!
Looking forward to tomorrow!
Adios
We played on the beach for a little bit, no sunrise because of the clouds.
Kids made a maze in the sand and we chased each other thru it. Basically a path - made for a good little work out.
We decided to walk north around the big pier and try to guess when we were getting close to the restaurant we wanted to have breakfast at.
After walking about 150 yards, I told the kids - Mama needs to go back, I am going to be stripping down soon if I don't go back and change into shorts and a T. So Carlie and I headed back to leave our sweatshirts & change into 'warm' weather clothes--we never regretted it! I didn't get half way home and ran into a man I know walking his 2 pugs on the beach. Sergio, team doctor of the Caballeros and father of Gustavo, one of our favorite buds here.
It's amazing, as hard as it is to believe, I rarely leave here and not run into someone I know! No kidding!
Anyway - we walked about 20 or more blocks and headed inland thru hotel las palapas. Very cool place, I highly recommend it. Each hotel room is it's own palapa. So they have a limit of 4 per room. It is not an all inclusive. Here is the website if you want to check it out. laspalapas.com
Just so happened, that at the end of the long driveway was exactly where we wanted to be.
How lucky is that??
The French bakery, Chez Celine that Maca had taken my mom and I to on Wednesday. It was very busy so we gave our name to the tall blonde french man who owns the place and took a seat on the very cool blue bench.
The boys had omelets (alexander ate his and half of bens), we all had OJ, hot mint tea & lots of bread with banana jelly.
We enjoyed the different walks of life and nationalities. The kids are really starting to notice different cultures, how they dress and their behaviors. Alexander said, all French women smoke...He also mentioned how different people were dressed. This place pulls all kinds. There were 6 dogs there - six. Several of which were lap dogs and very obviously, never get left at home or in the back yard to run and bark at joggers or KU students headed to and from class.
From there we headed back down 5th Avenue and slowly worked our way South going in and out of shops. It was fun, we hadn't planned to shop on the way home and normally, not all of us want to do that at the same time so this worked out well. We had heard there was a kite store and we really wanted to get a kite to fly. Directly across from the Senor Frogs store, there it was, 'Kiteplayadelcarmen' or something like that - whatever the name was, the word KITE was the first word in the name.
We go in, looking for a kite but didn't see any.
Ben, of course, had to go to the bathroom, the Senor Frog store said they were out of water......so we went back to the kite store, where Bo was still chatting away with the gal who worked there.
They are going thru a catalog on the counter.....
So, I observed and realized that neither had any idea what the other was saying. The lady picked up her cell phone and I could understand, Nino, playa, jugar ...... and she hands the phone to alexander. She must have realized that she wasn't understanding what he was asking her for.
Me, the basic, rational thinker I am, wonders, HOW CAN YOU WORK AT A STORE THAT THE FIRST WORD IN THE NAME OF THE STORE IS KITE AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT A FREAKING KITE IS????????
Alexander can see it in my face what I am thinking and he calms me, "Mom, there are different kinds of kites and she just doesn't know which kind I am talking about......" Whatever - I say!
Alexander is trying to use the 2 words he knows in spanish, now on a cell phone, Ben is doing what Ben always does after we eat and have left the restaurant with the nice clean bathroom only to have to do his business 3 minutes later swearing that he didn't know he was going to have to go when we left the restaurant.....Lucky, the nice non-english speaking lady at the KITE store let ben into this tiny little closet with a toilet in it to do what Ben always does after we eat......
Carlie is trying as hard as she can to find something she wants and I am thinking- how am I going to get out of this KITE store???
Ben, are you done? Not yet Mama.
Are you OK, yes - Did you have an accident? No
whew
Alexander is on the phone for a LONG time, Long enough for me to get a note pad from behind the counter and draw a picture of a KITE - you know, stick person, long string, diamond with a tail...
She says OHHHHH a cometa!!
By this time, I have taken care of ben and carlie is in the closet......I hand ben the empty roll of toilet paper and tell him, go show this to the lady.......
There are lots of things in this closet we are crammed into but I see nothing that looks like toilet paper or nothing that can do the job that toilet paper does.
She comes to the door and says something in Spanish of course and I do understand, NO.
So - - the details of this I will leave out but I must say, I am so clever.
Carlie and I come out of the closet, I close the closet door and hanging right there on the closet door.............
A KITE! 2 actually!
By this time, the last thing I want is a $25usd kite so I say, Muchas Gracias Senora, Muchas Gracias and out the door we go. My 3 ducks straggling behind me wondering why we aren't leaving with a cometa!
I look at my phone and am shocked that it's 5 til 1pm. Where has this day gone, we just had breakfast, I look up and there before me is a sports bar. WOOHOO KU basketball in 5 minutes.
In we go to the EZ (short for End Zone) and get to watch the entire KU game and during half time the K-State game on a huge huge TV. Major Score for Mama!
The rest of our walk home was uneventful, kids were jacking around with each other - I was in and out of a few stores, trying to find Carlie a 1 piece swim suit since they start swimming at school on Monday.
Back home, I tuck everyone in for naps and head out to pick up laundry. The Lavanderia is closed on Sunday and all of our school uniforms are there, clean hopefully - I have been worried I am going to forget them then, have to deal with that on Monday morning. Maca called just as I was walking across the bridge over our pool - my phone doesn't work in our condo and she had been trying to call me 'for 2 hours'. Nacho had something come up and couldn't do the sleep over, another whew - the boys were way too tired for that tonight.
Half way to the Lavanderia, a grey truck stops and backs up on the street - it's Irene. Mom of Chicken Little and Ryan - 2 of the Caballeros who stayed with us in KS.
See - I really can't leave my house with out seeing someone I know! It's true!
It sprinkled here on and off all evening. We never left the condo again except to sit on our patio with blankets, visit about our week, the upcoming week and my expectations of the kids and things I need them to do. Ben was disappointed we didn't go for Churros. I was disappointed I didn't get a glimpse of the Senor Frog Dancers on 5th Avenue.
As we were having our "Team Meeting" Carlie cried that she misses Glitter and Miss Fewins; Alexander cried that he missed the Spelling Bee and will miss the Talent Show. And Ben misses his bike and is sad he cannot remember the names of his new friends here from his class. I again suggested, Call them all ChaChi.
As I was getting Carlie snuggled into bed, I notice water coming down the wall of our condo....
dripping from the ceiling too...... on the floor, bed wet, pillow wet.....just missed my computer by about a millimeter - - ugh!
I will deal with that later - hopefully not a big deal??!!
Looking forward to tomorrow!
Adios
Friday, January 14, 2011
What a week
I have never been in Mexico and thought TGIF. Before now, I never knew what day it was.
This morning - I was for sure thinking, TGIF!
When I picked Carlie up from school one of the first things she told me was: I'm so glad it's Friday!
I was for sure in a self inflicted tail spin this morning.
And, I knew there were going to be days like these I just hadn't had one yet.
Losing the key in the sand, Ben pooping his pants, having Marco scare the heck out of me demanding 500 more pesos, Losing a Mayan bracelet I had picked out for Quinn's Mom, going to pick up laundry and it wasn't even there......all those things weren't really a big deal but today, leaving my tiny new born baby there......Ugh - that sucked.
So, now that that's under my belt - I'm looking forward to the next hump.
I have no idea what that will be but I am positive there will be one.
I pray it is not a health issue. I am trying to feed my children well, fruits, veggies & Emergencies. And I am going to demand a family nap tomorrow - hopefully mine will be next to the pool, I can fall asleep so quickly when I'm laying on a hot rock.
The boys have been invited to their first sleep over. Q said that would happen, the thought hadn't crossed my mind.
Of course they want to and I want them to as well. I just know Carlie and I will be lost with out them.
Lucky for me, Nacho's mom has taken me under her wing and become my angel here. I know the boys will have a fun time and I am interested to see how similar and how different 'sleep-overs' are here in Mexico.
Tomorrow we will find out what time mass is on Sunday. I am really looking forward to that. There is a 'Cat-o-lick' church very close but small and another larger one a little further away.
I was told that there is an English mass somewhere, but I didn't ask where - I want to go to the Spanish version.
Speaking of - keep us in your prayers and thoughts! We need all the help, in every area we can get!
It's crazy here but Life is Good!
This morning - I was for sure thinking, TGIF!
When I picked Carlie up from school one of the first things she told me was: I'm so glad it's Friday!
I was for sure in a self inflicted tail spin this morning.
And, I knew there were going to be days like these I just hadn't had one yet.
Losing the key in the sand, Ben pooping his pants, having Marco scare the heck out of me demanding 500 more pesos, Losing a Mayan bracelet I had picked out for Quinn's Mom, going to pick up laundry and it wasn't even there......all those things weren't really a big deal but today, leaving my tiny new born baby there......Ugh - that sucked.
So, now that that's under my belt - I'm looking forward to the next hump.
I have no idea what that will be but I am positive there will be one.
I pray it is not a health issue. I am trying to feed my children well, fruits, veggies & Emergencies. And I am going to demand a family nap tomorrow - hopefully mine will be next to the pool, I can fall asleep so quickly when I'm laying on a hot rock.
The boys have been invited to their first sleep over. Q said that would happen, the thought hadn't crossed my mind.
Of course they want to and I want them to as well. I just know Carlie and I will be lost with out them.
Lucky for me, Nacho's mom has taken me under her wing and become my angel here. I know the boys will have a fun time and I am interested to see how similar and how different 'sleep-overs' are here in Mexico.
Tomorrow we will find out what time mass is on Sunday. I am really looking forward to that. There is a 'Cat-o-lick' church very close but small and another larger one a little further away.
I was told that there is an English mass somewhere, but I didn't ask where - I want to go to the Spanish version.
Speaking of - keep us in your prayers and thoughts! We need all the help, in every area we can get!
It's crazy here but Life is Good!
Details
Boys have to be at school before 7:00am
They have 'breakfast' at school. I normally pack a tortilla with a slice of cheese and turkey or ham. They have snacks they like to take - like cookies & chips and also carry a big Coleman cooler full of water.
They are on a set schedule just like home but they are in their classes for an hour and have a 30 minute break @ 10am for breakfast and recess. They lunch room is outside and is a covered patio like place.
They have half of the day in Spanish and half of the day in English. Math is in English.
It is too cold here now for swimming class - parents complain - but I was told that they may start swimming again next week.
The boys each have 2 classrooms. The 5th and 6th grade swap rooms and the 3rd and 4th grades swap rooms.
One classroom is all in English - things on walls and the other classroom is all in Spanish.
They are done @ 1:30. You have until 1:45 to pick them up.
Of course I am waiting @ 1:30 for them.
There is a big gate and the PE teacher has a microphone and as you walk up to get them he calls out your child's name.
Carlie goes a little later :-)
She can be dropped of between 8 and 8:30am.
She is in Kindergarten III
that is the class before 1st grade.
There are 3 Kindergarten levels - based on age. In her case it was based on skill - since she is 5 she would have probably been in the Kindergarten II.
She has a Spanish teacher and an English teacher as well.
Her Spanish teacher knows NO ENGLISH.
They stay in the same classroom the whole day and have 'breakfast' in there too. She doesn't like recess/break because it is for 1 hour.
So from 10-11 each day - it's basically free time. She has been coloring during her free time. She has brought home some beautiful artwork.
Our condo is just the right size for us.
2 twin beds in the boys room and a king size bed for Carlie and I.
We have a big TV - which works just like you'd think it would.
We have no oven, which so far hasn't been a problem but I sure have missed my normal baking that I do several times a week.
We have a 2 burner stove, microwave, small sink, no dishwasher and no washer/dryer.
We have a huge closet with a window with a few of the beach and ocean.
We have our Christmas photo cards up in our condo and some of them under the glass top of our kitchen table. So everyone who sent us a photo card, you are here with us!
The door to our condo is down a few steps from the pool edge. The covered patio is our roof and it gets used by everyone. I kind of wish I had a private patio but I'm sharing!!!
We use our wagon to haul our clothes to the Lavanderia & also to haul tired kids to and from 5th Avenue.
Everything is in walking distance that I need and Macarena has been so good about exposing me to all the things I need to see and do.
Really all the grocery stores and good places for breakfast. :-)
After school, the kids swim and or play on the beach. We have been playing catch everyday too. I forgot the plastic bats so that is on our list to bring from Kansas when Alexander comes back the end of the month. I told the boys, in June when they feel some sand inside their ball gloves, this will all just be a memory and that little bit of sand will take them back to this great time we are having.
They have 'breakfast' at school. I normally pack a tortilla with a slice of cheese and turkey or ham. They have snacks they like to take - like cookies & chips and also carry a big Coleman cooler full of water.
They are on a set schedule just like home but they are in their classes for an hour and have a 30 minute break @ 10am for breakfast and recess. They lunch room is outside and is a covered patio like place.
They have half of the day in Spanish and half of the day in English. Math is in English.
It is too cold here now for swimming class - parents complain - but I was told that they may start swimming again next week.
The boys each have 2 classrooms. The 5th and 6th grade swap rooms and the 3rd and 4th grades swap rooms.
One classroom is all in English - things on walls and the other classroom is all in Spanish.
They are done @ 1:30. You have until 1:45 to pick them up.
Of course I am waiting @ 1:30 for them.
There is a big gate and the PE teacher has a microphone and as you walk up to get them he calls out your child's name.
Carlie goes a little later :-)
She can be dropped of between 8 and 8:30am.
She is in Kindergarten III
that is the class before 1st grade.
There are 3 Kindergarten levels - based on age. In her case it was based on skill - since she is 5 she would have probably been in the Kindergarten II.
She has a Spanish teacher and an English teacher as well.
Her Spanish teacher knows NO ENGLISH.
They stay in the same classroom the whole day and have 'breakfast' in there too. She doesn't like recess/break because it is for 1 hour.
So from 10-11 each day - it's basically free time. She has been coloring during her free time. She has brought home some beautiful artwork.
Our condo is just the right size for us.
2 twin beds in the boys room and a king size bed for Carlie and I.
We have a big TV - which works just like you'd think it would.
We have no oven, which so far hasn't been a problem but I sure have missed my normal baking that I do several times a week.
We have a 2 burner stove, microwave, small sink, no dishwasher and no washer/dryer.
We have a huge closet with a window with a few of the beach and ocean.
We have our Christmas photo cards up in our condo and some of them under the glass top of our kitchen table. So everyone who sent us a photo card, you are here with us!
The door to our condo is down a few steps from the pool edge. The covered patio is our roof and it gets used by everyone. I kind of wish I had a private patio but I'm sharing!!!
We use our wagon to haul our clothes to the Lavanderia & also to haul tired kids to and from 5th Avenue.
Everything is in walking distance that I need and Macarena has been so good about exposing me to all the things I need to see and do.
Really all the grocery stores and good places for breakfast. :-)
After school, the kids swim and or play on the beach. We have been playing catch everyday too. I forgot the plastic bats so that is on our list to bring from Kansas when Alexander comes back the end of the month. I told the boys, in June when they feel some sand inside their ball gloves, this will all just be a memory and that little bit of sand will take them back to this great time we are having.
This cannot be happening to me:
So, here are a few things that have happened that I was thinking....
Now what?
Day 1
New Year's Day
We were coming back from dinner, which was actually lunch (& breakfast).
We had flown all day and I had packed powdered sugar & chocolate donuts for the kids. So, Nana and I were starving. We thought we were going to meet the Wood/Fix Clan @ Senor Frogs but they weren't there so the kids were feeling sad about that.
Anyway, Ben had to go to the bathroom, so I give him the key to the condo - had taken it out of the lock box on the door because when we got to our condo, it wouldn't open so therefore we couldn't get the key out to open our condo door....luckily our van driver had a pocket knife to pop it open.
So - I tell Ben, I do not have another key - that is our only way to get into the condo - hold on tight.....
Alexander, Ben & Carlie take off running down the dark beach.
Nana and I were walking behind them enjoying the warm warm air.
I notice Ben & Carlie stopped on the beach.....LOOKING FOR THE KEY (in the dark).
I say funny - Alexander had run ahead so naturally, I thought they were playing a joke on me.
Oh NO - Benjamin had dropped the key, in the sand, on the beach........ Yes!
I of course, FREAK!
Thinking quick - I put my bag down right where they were and tell them to STOP DIGGING, i actually didn't tell them I SCREAMED at them to stop moving, stop digging, don't do anything.
I go to Xaman Ha, find the security guard and ask him for a flash light. No English. He leaves, comes back with a flash light. Not for me but he needed it for something else he was doing. So lucky for me, I waited until he was done and borrowed it.
Back to the beach, heart pounding, trying to figure out how I can get ben back to Kansas before I harm him.
Slowly combed the beach with the light.........
There it was, the tiny silver very top end of the key peeking out of the sand!!!
CELL PHONE
My friends here tell me, You need a Mexico cell phone.....I say, why, I already have 2 cell phones.....It's too expensive for us to call you........
So, Mom and I walk down 10th Avenue looking for somewhere to buy one.
First stop OXXO (like Quik Trip) - they had 1 that was $699 pesos, They had told me it would be about $30 US dollars.... Besides the girl in OXXO knew absolutely no English so we leave and keep walking - we see a TelCel sign, walk in.
I get a phone. Of course Mark Anthony (he tells me his name while laughing) speaks "poco english" Poco means little but all that really means is he can say OK, No & Thank You.
After waiting for a while and writing things on paper - my plan, cost, minutes (which they don't do it as minutes they do it as pesos..)
Anyway - we leave with a phone, cute little red phone, small enough to fit just about anywhere. So small...
I call Maca and tell her I have a phone. Give the number to Irene and Chema too.
Happy to be able to contact them easily if I need to - at the time, I had no idea how much I would use this thing, once I figured out how to.
So 5 or so hours later, it rings.....
A guy on the other line is talking in Spanish, I could make out a few words..... Like
This is Marco
I need $500 more pesos from you.
Please bring them to me........
Don't you know Spanish?
I say NO AND HANG UP
next I get a text
didn't know I had texting on my new little phone but now I am getting a text saying
"Tracie hello me wrong you send 500 pesos, paying them where can help me please buy your phone ;-("
My phone rings again - I don't answer.
I am freaking out
Not wanting to tell my mom and get her freaked out so I walk outside of the condo and try to call Chema. I am scrolling thru the phone looking for the touch screen dial. There is a man grilling right outside my door, and I mumble, I cannot figure out how to call out on this phone. Where is the screen with the key pad on it???
He looks at me like, Lady you are absolutely nuts - - - and says, You just push the buttons.
Chema calls me later and says, Don't worry about him, He will never call you again. He said he gave you 2000 pesos instead of 1000 pesos...... but don't worry about it.
So far so good. I have no way to find out how many pesos I have on my phone and Mark Anthony hasn't called back.
My phone is working great and I am so glad I have it!
Now what?
Day 1
New Year's Day
We were coming back from dinner, which was actually lunch (& breakfast).
We had flown all day and I had packed powdered sugar & chocolate donuts for the kids. So, Nana and I were starving. We thought we were going to meet the Wood/Fix Clan @ Senor Frogs but they weren't there so the kids were feeling sad about that.
Anyway, Ben had to go to the bathroom, so I give him the key to the condo - had taken it out of the lock box on the door because when we got to our condo, it wouldn't open so therefore we couldn't get the key out to open our condo door....luckily our van driver had a pocket knife to pop it open.
So - I tell Ben, I do not have another key - that is our only way to get into the condo - hold on tight.....
Alexander, Ben & Carlie take off running down the dark beach.
Nana and I were walking behind them enjoying the warm warm air.
I notice Ben & Carlie stopped on the beach.....LOOKING FOR THE KEY (in the dark).
I say funny - Alexander had run ahead so naturally, I thought they were playing a joke on me.
Oh NO - Benjamin had dropped the key, in the sand, on the beach........ Yes!
I of course, FREAK!
Thinking quick - I put my bag down right where they were and tell them to STOP DIGGING, i actually didn't tell them I SCREAMED at them to stop moving, stop digging, don't do anything.
I go to Xaman Ha, find the security guard and ask him for a flash light. No English. He leaves, comes back with a flash light. Not for me but he needed it for something else he was doing. So lucky for me, I waited until he was done and borrowed it.
Back to the beach, heart pounding, trying to figure out how I can get ben back to Kansas before I harm him.
Slowly combed the beach with the light.........
There it was, the tiny silver very top end of the key peeking out of the sand!!!
CELL PHONE
My friends here tell me, You need a Mexico cell phone.....I say, why, I already have 2 cell phones.....It's too expensive for us to call you........
So, Mom and I walk down 10th Avenue looking for somewhere to buy one.
First stop OXXO (like Quik Trip) - they had 1 that was $699 pesos, They had told me it would be about $30 US dollars.... Besides the girl in OXXO knew absolutely no English so we leave and keep walking - we see a TelCel sign, walk in.
I get a phone. Of course Mark Anthony (he tells me his name while laughing) speaks "poco english" Poco means little but all that really means is he can say OK, No & Thank You.
After waiting for a while and writing things on paper - my plan, cost, minutes (which they don't do it as minutes they do it as pesos..)
Anyway - we leave with a phone, cute little red phone, small enough to fit just about anywhere. So small...
I call Maca and tell her I have a phone. Give the number to Irene and Chema too.
Happy to be able to contact them easily if I need to - at the time, I had no idea how much I would use this thing, once I figured out how to.
So 5 or so hours later, it rings.....
A guy on the other line is talking in Spanish, I could make out a few words..... Like
This is Marco
I need $500 more pesos from you.
Please bring them to me........
Don't you know Spanish?
I say NO AND HANG UP
next I get a text
didn't know I had texting on my new little phone but now I am getting a text saying
"Tracie hello me wrong you send 500 pesos, paying them where can help me please buy your phone ;-("
My phone rings again - I don't answer.
I am freaking out
Not wanting to tell my mom and get her freaked out so I walk outside of the condo and try to call Chema. I am scrolling thru the phone looking for the touch screen dial. There is a man grilling right outside my door, and I mumble, I cannot figure out how to call out on this phone. Where is the screen with the key pad on it???
He looks at me like, Lady you are absolutely nuts - - - and says, You just push the buttons.
Chema calls me later and says, Don't worry about him, He will never call you again. He said he gave you 2000 pesos instead of 1000 pesos...... but don't worry about it.
So far so good. I have no way to find out how many pesos I have on my phone and Mark Anthony hasn't called back.
My phone is working great and I am so glad I have it!
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