Bob the builder

Luca and his friend went to see this show that they like to watch on tv. It's about this guy who is a construction worker and the most exciting thing about the show was when they first appear him and the other characters, specially the tractors and other machinery. Luca was pretty loud, but later on they got bored and started hammering stuff with their tools, yes, they were both prepared for the show and for some action. It was a nice time.

Luca y su amigo fueron a ver este espectaculo que de un programa que ven en la tele. Es sobre este albanhil y lo mas emocionante era cuando aparecian por primera vez el y los otros personajes, especialmente los tractores y la otra maquinaria. A Luca se le oyo bastante, pero mas tarde se aburrieron y empezaron a pegar martillazos con sus herramientas, si, los dos venian preparados para el espectaculo y para algo de accion. Lo pasamos bien.

Fresh things

Something that made me go "wow" when I accidentally saw it the other day in my garden, this gerbera that keep on coming out every year. I love the red bright color.

Algo que me hizo decir "uau" cuando de repente la vi el otro dia en mi jardin, esta gerbera sale cada anho. Me encanta este color rojo vivo.

And this is the newest bag I've made. I was making it to teach a bag workshop. Mine was made with two placemats and two napkings. I got tired of the tough material by the end but I like it and I am using it.

Y esta es la ultima bolsa que hice. La estaba haciendo para ensenhar en una clase de bolsos. La mia esta hecha de mantelitos dos individuales y dos servilletas. Al final acabe un poco harta de este material tan tieso pero me gusta como quedo y la estoy usando.

Japanese food

After a visit to the farmer's market, nothing better that some of his favorite soup (and the only one he will eat) : miso soup. He must have in his gens that his parents met each other in Japan because other than a restaurant that serves steak, Japanese food is the only food he will eat outside of our home. I have not a problem with that, I love it too.

Despues de una visita al mercado al aire libre, nada mejor que un poco de su sopa favorita (y la unica que come): sopa de miso. Debe tener en sus genes que sus padres se conocieron en Japon porque a parte de restaurantes que sirven filetes, la unica comida que come duera de casa es comida Japonesa. No tengo ningun problema con ello, a mi tambien me encanta.

One more week

I can't believe time goes by so quickly. The weeks are like a race for me. Not sure what do I do but that's how it feels, I guess I keep myself pretty busy and so does Luca. I volunteered in his school last week. It was funny, they are always amazed at the paintings I make for them, I am always decorating something that the teacher asks me to make for them like, make a puppet theater with a tree on one side and the forest on the other...ehem...not so easy to figure it out...but I always come up with something, I just like painting and this is something one day I will continue doing, my two painting portrait of Luca at 4 months is still hiding in my closet for me to find the space, time and inspiration to finish it. If I had a space to put it, to put my paints, my easel and all that it would be easier...but I have too many hobbies and not much space! I will just have to rotate the hobbies :) For now, I continue with my music and my sewing. Luca wants a batman costume so that will be my next project, they dress up at school when they have free play and they love it. Luca was dressed up like a princess since the Buzz lightyear costume was taken by another boy, pretty funny. I love seeing them play and seeing them communicate, I learned he knows some words that I hadn't identified before like "can I see it?" he says "hashii?" and he says it all the time, it is so funny, I love it. Heading back to bed to start the race all over again! Have a wonderful week!

No me puedo creer que las semanas se pasen tan rapido. Son como una carrera. No se lo que hago pero asi me parecen, creo que me mantengo bastante ocupada y tambien Luca. Hice de voluntaria la semana pasada en su colegio. Fue divertido, siempre se emocionan cuando me ven pintar algo que hago para ellos, siempre estoy decorando algo que la profesora me pide que pinte para ellos, como un teatro de marionetas con un arbol en un lado y una selva en el otro…ehem…no tan facil imaginarse algo asi..pero siempre se me ocurre algo, me gusta pintar y es algo que algun dia continuare hacienda, mis dos cuadros de Luca cuando tenia 4 meses siguen escondidos en mi armario hasta que encuentre espacio, tiempo e inspiracion para acabarlos. Si tuviera un espacio para poner mis pinturas, el caballete y todo seria mas facil…¡pero tengo demasiados hobis y no tanto espacio! Tendre que ir rotando los hobis J Por ahora. Continuare con mi musica y mi costura. Luca quiere que le haga un disfraz de batman asi que ese sera mi proximo proyecto, se disfrazan en el cole cuando tienen tiempo libre para jugar y les encanta. Luca se disfrazo de princesa el otro dia porque Buzz lightyear ya se lo había puesto otro niño, que risa. Me encanta verles jugar y comunicar, aprendi que sabe algunass palabras que yo antes no habia sido capaz de identificarlas como “¿puedo verlo?” que en ingles es “can I see it?” y dice “hashii?” y lo dice a todas horas, que divertido, me encanta. Me voy a la cama ¡que la carrera empieza de Nuevo! ¡Que tengais muy Buena semana!

324

hi!

It is interesting how sometimes I have so much to write about and some other weeks like this past one I am in a blank. The truth is that adjusting again to my routine and my home takes a few days and before I realize a whole week has passed and of course I haven't done anything new, I'm just trying to catch up with things. I did learn about these beads that you can make from paper or from plastic bags. I went to the museum next door and Luca was able to make a small brazalete out of these beads, really interesting and beautiful, I am putting it on my list of things to make, just don't know when...

hola!

Es intresante como a veces tengo tanto tiempo para escribir y otras como esta semana pasada estoy en blanco. La verdad es que me tengo que ajustar de nuevo a nuestra rutina y a mi casa y eso lleva dias antes de darme cuenta de que toda una semana se me ha escapado y claro sin hacer nada nuevo, solo intentando ponerme al dia. Aprendi sobre estas cuentas que se pueden hacer de papel o de bolsas de plastico. Fui al museo de al lado y Luca hizo una pulsera con estas cuentas, muy interesante y bonito, lo voy a poner en mi lista de cosas que quiero hacer, lo unico es que no se cuando...

And just being a few days with his uncle, made Luca very excited about transformers and super heroes...

Y solo pasando unos dias con su tio, le hizo a Luca aficionarse a los transformers y los super heroes...

Easter

We are on our way back to Florida, but I wanted to share a few things I did these past weeks. I made some easter egg plants for some of my friends. As I said I was in the egg diet and used a bunch of egg shells to make some of these miniature pots. I still have more at home so I might continue creating more mini plants, Luca enjoys potting them and they are fun to look at. And of course, they follow the Easter theme around here.

Estamos de camino de vuelta a Florida, pero queria compartir algunas cosas que he hecho en estas ultimas semanas. Hice algunas plantitas en huevitos de pascua para algunos de mis amigos. Como ya conte, estuve comiendo muchos huevos para usar los cascarones para hacer estas macetitas. Aun tengo mas en casa, asi que puede que continue creando mas plantitas, a Luca le encanta meterles tierra y son graciosas. Y claro, llevan el temita de Pascua de por aqui.

I also made some summer hats for my nieces. I am still perfecting the technique, since a slight change in the size could mean that the hat doesn't fit. I haven't been able to make it more masculine, like for Luca, but I will keep on working on it. They are reversible. All of this learned from my sister in law.

Tambien he hecho unos gorrito s de verano. Aun estoy perfeccionando la tecnica, ya que un cambio minimo en la talla puede significar que no les quepa. No he sido capaz de hacerlos muy masculinos,, como para Luca, pero seguire intentandolo. Son reversibles. Todo esto lo aprendi de mi cunhada.

patchwork keychain

I got this at the art museum. After seeing a wonderful kimono exposition. I am planning to go back with my quilting friends. It is worth visiting several times, specially without kids to watch!

Compre esto en el museo de arte. Despues de ver un exposicion de kimonos increible. Estoy planeando volver con mis amigas de quilting. Merece la pena visitarlo varias veces, sobretodo sin ninhos que controlar!

Birthday flowers

I have been meaning to share the flowers I got for my birthday. This bouquet of amarillys came form my friend's yard. Amazing...and the tulips from my other friends, now they lay on my little front yard. I love them both.

He querido desde hace dias compartir las flores que me regalaron por mi cumple. Este ramo de amarillis vino del jardin de mi amiga. Increibles...y los tulipanes de otras amigas, ahora estan en el jarcincito de en frete de mi casa. Me encantan las dos.

At home but in heaven

At home all day, that's mostly what we do in New Mexico since there is always some kid who is sick, but I have no problem with that. I am enjoying as much as I can my little baby Carmen, she feels like a cozy heating blanket that feels so good and smells so good, oh I'm going to miss her! I have spent lots of time like this, for those who know me well, can you believe I finished a book in 3 days??? well in this position it's easy...it's like being in heaven.

En casa todo el dia, es lo que hacemos sobretodo en Nuevo Mexico ya que siempre hay algun ninho malito, pero no me importa. Estoy disfrutando al maximo a mi ninha Carmen, es tan gustosita como una manta electrica y da un gusto tenerla y olerla, ay la voy a echar mas de menos! He pasado mucho rato asi, para aquellos que me conocen bien, os podeis creer que he acabado de leer un libro en 3 dias??? bueno, en esta posicion es facil...es como estar en el cielo.

It's already 35!

35 springs since I was born, and getting into a new one! Happy to be in NM celebrating with family. Happy to have met my little Carmen on my birthday, happy to have eaten such a delicious cake made by little hands...happy to have received so many happy birthday wishes from everywhere in the world....happy to have wonderful family and friends...happy to share it with all of you :)

35 primaveras desde que naci y entrando en una mas! Feliz de estar en Nuevo Mexico celebrando con mi familia. Feliz de haber conocido a mi pequenha Carmen en mi cumpleanhos, feliz de haber comido una tarta tan deliciosa hecha por muchas manitas ...feliz de haber recibido tantas felicitaciones de todas partes del mundo...feliz de tener una familia y amigos tan increibles...feliz de compartirlo con todos vosotros :)

Easter is approaching

One day at Minerva's circle we learned how to decorate Slovakian easter eggs. Don't they look amazing? I loved it, now I am on the egg diet to get more shells:)

Un dia en Minerva's circle aprendimos a decorar huevos de pascua Eslovacos. A que son increibles? Me encantaron, y ahora estoy con la dieta del huevo para conseguir mas cascaras:)

Good surprises are great

Last night I was going to be treated to a coffee with babysitter included. Little that I knew that 14 good friends and 2 of their children came to meet me with big smiles and lots of presents. Wow, what a wonderful evening! Days like this make me realize how lucky I am to be surrounded by such great friends. It is great to feel this affection coming from all places! thank you friends!

Anoche me iban a invitar a tomarme un cafecito con ninhera incluida. Lo que no sabia es que 14 buenas amigas y dos de sus ninhos se encontraron conmigo con grandes sonrisas y muchos regalitos. Wow, que noche tan buena! Dias asi me hacen darme cuenta de lo afortunada que soy de estar rodeada de amigos tan buenos. Es increible sentir este carinho que viene desde las todas direcciones. Gracias amigos!

Happy birthday to my ears!!!

One year! One whole and amazing year! One exciting year of sounds for Luca! Today a year ago, he experienced sounds through his cochlear implant for the first time, and he wasn't happy, but I was, and I knew he was going to be soon, and sure enough, it just took him about an hour to feel comfortable and go with it. Now he is responsible for his bionic ears, he asks for them and lets me know if they are falling or most of the time (well I better retract this, he has lost one twice in two days and since he still hears with the other one, he doesn't even mention it...). My little guy is growing and his cochlear implants are part of him now, and he is loving them. And now I sometimes forget that he is learning to listen, he is adapting so well to them that he acts just like any other hearing kiddo. Go Luca! And what I am loving the most lately is how much he is enjoying music. I din't have my hopes up on that one since he was making me hush when I sung to him just a month ago, but now, now he sings along and plays different musical instruments and dances around, oh what a joy! Happy to youuuuu!!!! (that's how he sings happy b-day to you).

Un anho! Un anho entero y alucinante! Un anho excitante de sonidos para Luca! Hoy hace un anho, experimentaba los sonidos por primera vez a traves de su implante coclear, y no le hizo mucha gracia, pero a mi me encanto, y sabia que pronto a el tambien, y asi fue, solo le llevo una hora en aceptarlo y sentirse comodo con el. Ahora es responsable de sus oidos bionicos, me los pide y me dice si se le estan cayendo casi siempre (bueno mejor retiro esto porque ha perdido un implante dos veces en dos dias y como sigue oyendo por el otro pues no me lo dice...). Mi chiquitin esta creciendo y sus implantes cocleares son parte de el ahora, y le encantan. Y ahora a veces me olvido de que aun esta aprendiendo a escuchar, se esta adaptando tan bien a ellos que actua como cualquier otro ninho oyente. Go Luca! Y lo que mas me encanta ultimamente es que disfrute tanto de la musica. No tenia muchas esperanzas en ese departamento porque me hacia callar cada vez que cantaba hace tan solo un mes, pero ahora, ahora canta conmigo y toca diferentes instrumentos musicales y baila, que alegria! Felizzzz para tiiii!!!! (asi canta el cumpleanhos feliz el)

forgiving

I am always joking about quilting, or rather hand quilting being forgiving...or anything I make, meaning that if it has mistakes, they are forgiven because that makes it special and handcrafted. Better than made in a factory in China, right?? Anyways, I went to a farm a few weeks ago and found amazing quilts made in the late 1800s...you can imagine how much I looked at them, and I paid attention about materials and the way they were made, and they were forgiving, I mean the corners didn't necessarily match but still made it look so nice and special. I loved the fabrics too, you could see some were pieces of clothing.

Siempre estoy de juerga con que acolchar a mano perdona mucho...o cualquier cosa que hago queriendo decir que si tiene fallos, que son perdonados porque eso lo hace especial y hecho a mano. Meor que hecho en una fabrica en China, no??? Bueno, fui a una granja hace unas semanas y encontre unas colchas increibles hechas a finales de los 1800s...os podeis imaginar como las mire, y como preste atencion de los materiales y la manera en que estaban hechos, y eran perdonados, osea que las esquinas no coincidian necesariamente pero aun asi eran muy bonitas y especiales. Me encantaron las telas tambien, se podian ver que algunas eran de ropas.

Visitor

Today I had a nice visit outside our door. A nice red cardinal came sat there for a while and then flew up the tree.

Hoy tuvimos una visita fuera de nuestra puerta. Un cardenal rojo muy bonito vino y se sento ahi un rato y luego volo al arbol.

Not a cookie girl

Did I say I was going to bake a dessert from that one book every Sunday? well, it never works out the way I plan, but I have to say I did make something this time from another place.
I have tried to make these lemon drop cookies, and had to repeat the recipe. First, I used a bad ingredient. Bad idea, really bad, my house even smells like it, and it was awful. These is how they looked (actually they looked pretty good but tasted horrible).

No habia dicho que iba a hornear algo de postre cada domingo de aquel libro? Bueno, nunca me sale de la manera que lo planeo, pero he de decir que hice algo de otro lugar.
He probado a hacer estas galletitas de limon, y he tenido que repetir la receta. Primero, use un ingrediente malo. Que mala idea, muy mala, mi casa aun huele asi, y estaban asquerosas. Asi se veian (la verdad es que se veian muy bien pero sabian horribles).

Now, a visit to the grocery store and a little bit of a more experience baker (after the previous disaster) and I made these...much better!

Ahora, una visita al supermercado y un poquito mas de experiencia como pastelera (despues del desastre previo) y salieron estas...mucho mejor!

Creativity

I have been creatinve with Luca since I see that htis makes his more motivated to learn. I am also more motivated by seeing the he is starting to draw things and write letters, I had no hopes just a week ago, so I have been gratefully surprised to see his increasing interest.

He estado creativa von Luca desde que veo lo mucho que le motiva esto para aprender. Tambien estoy mas motivada viendo que esta empezando a dibujar cosas y a escribir letras, no tenia ningua esperanza hace tan solo una semana, asi que estoy sorprendida muy gratamente al ver como aumenta su interes

I have sewn bean bags for them to throw them at school in games. This was the teacher's idea and now I am thinking about putting letters on more bags I will make to keep at home.

He cosido bolsitas de alubias para que las tiren en el cole en juegos. Esta fue la idea de la profesora y ahora estoy pensando en hacer lo mismo poniendo letras en bolsas para casa.

I also made a dragon head for them to throw the bena bags in. Throw the eyes, mouth and nose, I think it will bring lots of good vocabulary. It was a challenge when she told me make a dragon head with a box, but I did it the best I could think of.

Tambien hice una cabeza de dragon para que tiren las bolsitas de alubias dentro. Las tiararan en los ojos, boca y nariz, y creo que les servira para aprender mucho vocabulario. Fue un poco de desafio cuando me dijo haz una cabeza de dragon con una caja, pero lo hice lo mejor que pude.

And then I had to make a drangon head for them to wear! That was tough, cuase I had to make it the right size, and make sure it would stay while they do some games. I could have made a mask that they could hold with a stick, but they needed to have their mouths ready to blow a horn too, so this is what I came up. I hope it doesn't break apart! but Luca was happy to model it for me. Hope they all enjoy it!

Y luego tuve que hacer una cabeza de dragon para que se la pusieran ellos! Eso no fue facil, pues tenia que hacerla del tamanho adecuado, y asegurarme de que no se les caiga mientras hacen juegos. Podria haberla hecho como mascara y que la hubieran agarrado con un palo pero necesitaban tener la boca libre para poder soplar una trompetiilla, asi que asi salio. Espero que no se rompa mientras la usan! pero Luca se puso contendo de probarsela para mi. Espero que todos la disfruten!

Dora the explorer

It is funny how lately Luca has become much more interested in things that are typical for younger children. The truth is that until now he couldn't understand much of it so he didn't have a strong connection but finally he is able to follow stories and characters and he is going through the same interests as hearing children, maybe one year younger hearing children. It is a great feeling for me, we are getting there, it is taking so much work and so much effort but he is following the right path. He continues using words that I have been teaching for a month and all of a sudden he has started using them all, after so many repetitions, so many conversations about cats, cars and cows. It is a great feeling and at the same time, I realize we have a long way to go. And lots of work ahead of us.

Es gracioso como ultimamente Luca se ha interesado tando en cosas que son mas tipicas de ninhos mas chicos. La verdad es que hasta ahora no las podia entender mucho asi que no tenia mucha conexion pero al final es capaz de seguir las historias y los caracteres y esta pasando por los mismos intereses que ninhos oyentes, quizas que ninhos un anho menores. Es un gustazo para mi, estamos llegando a ese punto, nos lleva mucho trabajo y mucho esfuerzo pero esta siguiendo el camino correcto. Continua usando palabras que yo le llevo ensenhando desde hace un mes y de repente las esta usando todas, despues de tantas repeticiones, tantas conversaciones sobre gatos, coches y vacas. Me da mucho gusto y a la vez, me doy cuenta de el camino que aun nos queda por recorrer. Mucho trabajo por delante.

And I'll tell you about that new atraction he has. Now he is crazy about Dora the explorer. She is a mexican girl that speaks in English and Spanish and has a friend who is a monkey. It's very educational and they repeat things a million times. There is a fox that says "Oh mann!!" and Luca repeats it and until I found it where it was coming from I thought it was funny that he spoke like a grown up hahaha! He saw a fabric with Dora and he wouldn't let go, the fabric had pink all over, so I bought him a piece and now we are making letters and outfits and things for him to learn motivated by Dora.

Y sobre esa nueva fascinacion os cuento. Ahora se ha vuelto loco con Dora la exploradora. Es una ninhita mexicana que habla en ingles y espanhol y que tiene un amigo que es un mono. Es una serie muy educativa y repiten las cosas mil veces. Hay un zorro que dice oh man!! y Luca repite esa frase que hasta que yo me di cuenta de donde venia, pense que era de risa que estuviera diciendo eso, parecia un hombre jajaja! Vio una tela de Dora en la tienda y no se separo de lla, la tela toda rosita, asi que le compre un pedacito y ahora estamos haciendo letras,trajes y cosas con ella para que aprenda mas cosas motivado por Dora.

I bought him a Dora kite today, focusing all this fascination towards a good language lesson, and he found a sticker of a cochlear implant in one of his sticker books. He didn't know what to do with it until he saw Dora. Dora, the kite, needed one too, just like him.

Le compre una cometa de Dora, enfocando toda esta fascinacions que tiene hacia una buena leccion de lengua, y encontro una pegatina de un implante coclear en uno de sus libros de pegatinas. No sabia que hacer con ella hasta que vio a Dora. Dora, la cometa, necesitaba tambien uno, igualita que el.

Trying something new

I saw in a tutorial how to do free motion quilting. I remember I tried it once when I first got my sewing machine and it was a disaster. I never did it again. But in the video it seemed so doable....so I decided to give it a try. I looked for the free motion quilting foot for a while and even though in y mind I though I had such a foot, it didn't seem to be among the many feet I own. Well, until I found yet another bag with my accessories, and three more feet showed up. I can't believe I have so many accessories that I don't know how to use...what a waster of potential...anyhow...I found it so I gave it a try. I was very excited quilting this mini quilt I made. It was quite easy and it looked ok while I wasn't breathing. Then I finished making some funny looking loops, took the quilt out of the machine and....I wasn't too happy. The back didn't look as good as the front, the stitches were loose, for some reason the tension didn't seem to be right. I wasn't going to pull all that work out, it was too much, and it wasn't THAT obvious, so I decided to adjust the tension better and requilt it now making some diagonal parallel stripes. This time, I liked how it worked out.

Vi un tutorial de como hacer acolchado de movimiento libre. Me acuerdo que una vez lo probe cuando me acababa de compara la maquina de coser y fue un desastre. No lo volvi a probar. Pero en el videoparecia tan factible...asi que decidi intentarlo. Busque el pie de acolchado libre, pero no estaba entre los mcuhos pies que tengo. Bueno, hasta que encontre otra bolsita con mas accesorios, y tres pies mas aparecieron. No me puedo creer que tenga tantos accesorios que no se como usar...que desaprovecho...pero bueno...lo encontre asi que lo use. Estuve muy emocionada acolchando este mini tapiz que hice. Fue bastante facil y no parecia mal mientras no respirase. Entonces acabe haciendo esos circulitos tan graciosos, saque el tapiz de la maquinay..no quede muy contenta. La parte de atras no tenia tan buena pinta como la de delante, las puntadas estaban sueltas, no se porque pero la tension no parecia estar bien. No iba a sacar todo ese trebajo, era demasiado, y no era TAN obvio, asi qeu decidi ajustar la tension mejor y volver a acolcharlo haciendo ahora unas lineas diagonales paralelas. Esta vez si que me gusto como quedo.

This is a book mark I made a looooong time ago, I am sending both to someone quite far away. I like being productive, it makes me feel good. Now I am also making things for Luca's classroom, more on that soon.

Este separador de libros lo hice hace muuuucho tiempo, voy a mandar las dos cosas a alguien que esta lejos. Me gusta ser productiva, me hace sentir bien. Ahora tambien hago cosas para la clase de Luca, mas sobre eso pronto.

Wonderful walk

Thank you everybody who commented, participated and contributed to our fund raiser! It was so much fun, and we did pretty good! Our team, Go Luca! came up 4th in the general classification and Luca came up 2nd as the individual with most funds raised. Amazing! And it was great having our family and so many nice friends sharing a wonderful day with us. I made some t-shirts for the event and I was happy with the final result, Luca and his implant were obvios and cool!

Gracias a todos los que comentasteis, participasteis y contribuisteis en nuestra recaudacion de fondos! Fue muy divertido, y nos fue bastante bien! Nuestro equipo, Go Luca! saco el 4 puesto en la general de equipos y Luca salio el segundo de los individuos con mas fondos recaudados. Increible! Y nos encanto tener a nuestra familia y tan buenos amigos compartiendo un dia tan maravilloso con nostros. Hice algunas camisetas para el evento y me gusto el resultado final. Luca y su implante se veian claros y chulos!

The ribbon cutters:)

Los que cortaron el lazo