Using my Espanol

Tonight was my first night teaching English to some people in the community through the church's Daily Dose program. It's free of charge and anyone can come. I had two students and we had a really good time. It's a great oportunity to practice my Spanish as I teach them English. My inlaws are language missionaries and they told me about it. I started looking at opportunites to volunteer in the community to help build my platform and so I asked if I could participate. I think this is going to be a rewarding experience for me as I get to meet others in my community. They will probably teach me just as much as I will teach them. I'm also volunteering with BYU's Museum of Peoples and Cultures in their education department. We have an activity at the Provo Library this Thursday where we will read a story and do a craft I believe. This pageant is really helping me spread my wings and get out to try new things. It's turning to be a rewarding and fun experience.

Stick a Sock in it

So the other day I was in Target and I was checking out when the cashier decided to get personal. I had Julianne and Sophia with me in the shopping cart. She looks at Julianne in her carseat and says that she's cute and then asks, "how old is HE." Uh, she has earrings lady. O.k. that's not that big of a deal, but here comes the big one. She looks at Sophia and then asks me, "Is your husband like Korean?" I about died laughing inside. Miguel and I make jokes all the time that he looks like he is from India and I know Sophia has a slight slant to her eyes, but you've got some guts to be that specific. Korean, now come on. I wouldn't dare ask that kind of question. Maybe "is your husband ethnic?" or something. Maybe Sophia should be Mulan for Halloween afterall. It actually makes me chuckle everytime I think about it.

Change & Sarah Palin

So I did it for real this time! My hair is officially black and I love it. The picture doesn't do it justice, or me for that matter. I can't wait till these braces come off. Can we say Sarah Palin! Who knows, maybe Gabriela will go in to politics as much as she likes to talk.

Lovin' my GIRLS

I just love these munchkins of mine! They each have such different personalities. My PRINCESS
My ENERGIZER BUNNY
My TEDDY BEAR

I would like your input!

On my personal blog (the link is on the right) I have written about my platform for the pageant. I would love for you to read it and give me any feedback you might have. It's really important to me and I would love to be able to share it with others if I was to win the title of Mrs. Utah. I want to be as prepared as possible so please let me know any questions you might have or ways to make it stronger.

Thanks so much,
Lindsay

Thanks Gigi!!!

So, my mom has been making the girls some really cute little outfits lately and I thought I would show off her handiwork. I can't wait till the day when I have the time to do fun thinks like that.

These are little Halloween outfits that we got in the mail yesterday.
Thanks Mom!

Destined to become EVIL

Sophia and I got a Mami & Daughter date yesterday. We met our friends Amy and her kids as well as her sister-inlaw Emily Nelson, the current Mrs. Utah, at Kangaroo Zoo. Gabriela was home sick with a cold and had no idea her little sister was out having fun without her. Sophia was so brave. She tried out everything. She climbed right up and over this big slide and then was on to bigger and better slides. She would have climbed them all if they had handles like this one. It was great to talk to Emily and she gave me some great advice for the pageant. Very nice girl. Weeeeee
She climbed up about half way and then slid down next to the stairs. I was so impressed by her enthusiasm and lack of fear from heights.
Now to the evil part. Poor Sophia is always labeled the Evil queen, the mean witch, or the monster whenever my niece comes to visit Gabriela. They spend their time running from her. I think Sophia is starting to believe it. She's so mischevious and likes to play tricks and irritate people. She'll chase them with sticks and run and snatch toys out of their hands and then run for her life. She's smart and she knows what she's doing. She's also a little devil when it comes to bedtime. I think we have to take her back to bed at least 5 times before she stays, and even then we are threatening her life. For some reason she gets a shot of adrenaline at bedtime and thinks it's a game.

Doesn't she look mean and tough in these shots.
She's supposed to be a pirate but she looked more like she was ready to ride a Harley Davidson.
This is the tough look. She's not princessy like Gabriela.
Check out Julianne's new sleeping companioin. Crazy huh. I saw this on a neat website called www.babysteals.com. Anyways, this is designed to help them sleep during the day. It blocks out light so they can sleep. She did take a good nap today in the swing.
She decided to get in on the pirate action too. She looks like the poor kid who has to scrub the deck, but we love her.

Back to the menacing big sister.

This is what I get for trying to be creative!

So I feel so guilty everytime my children are in front of the t.v. Today I tried to get creative and let them string beads. I knew I was taking a risk with Sophia, but since Gabriela had done it before I thought I might be o.k. Apparently Sophia could care less about stringing beads or adding order to anything. Chaos is her preferred method. I left the room for a minute and when I came back, they were from one end of the living room to the other. Sophia had her cheeks full like a chipmunk and had handfulls of beads and was showering herself with them. She had the most pleasing look on her face too. Did Gabriela do anything to stop it, of course not. She just follows Sophia's lead and pleads not-guilty. I think I'll stick to the movies next time. As a side note, Gabriela told Miguel that he would be their hero if he helped them clean it up. Tonight we went to the Provo Library for Spanish Story Time and a puppetry troup was giving a free show. Once again, I'm trying to be creative and do something out of the ordinary. Storytime went o.k., but once it was time for the puppet show, the kids were done. They just ran everywhere. Good thing Miguel was with me. He got a pretty good idea of what it's like to go to the library with three kids, and to think I do it by myself every week.
She looks so studious!
They sang spanish dongs,"La Bamba" in fact, and the kids got musical instruments to play with. Sophia entertained by doing a little dance for everyone.

During the story Gabriela kept harassing Sophia and kissing her cheeks. It sounds sweet, but I'm not sure the intentions were that sweet. She would turn around and tell us, "Sophia is my best friend." When we would tell her to quit and leave her alone she would just say, "I'm giving her kisses." To bad she's not that loving at home.

What We've Been Up To

So I Did It!!!Just Kidding, it's a hair piece. Just thought I would remind myself what it was like and gear up for the change. I definately need a tan though. To bad my locks aren't that long.

Gabriela and Sophia love playing with their cousins. The last time they were here everyone wanted to dress up. Poor Sophia looked like Cinderella caught in the eighties. We need more authenitic princess dresses for the little ones. They usually get stuck with whatever is leftover.
Whatever one does the other must follow. Here's Miguel being the horsey for both monkeys at once. Thank goodness I don't have to do that.
Miss Julianne is cute as ever. I just love her little cheeks. I think she's turned into a little crab. She will pinch the fire out of you with those little hands and wont let go. The underside of my arm is usually the victim. Her tiny little nails will dig in deep too. OUCH!!!

Should I go Black?

O.k. so I know this picture was taken a while ago. This is our engagement picture, and for most of you who know me now it probably comes as a shock. I actually had really dark hair. I'm thinking about going back black, but I need some feedback. Please comment and tell me what ya think. People might think my children are actually mine for a change and I might look a little more my age. The other day I pulled out some old high school photos and I have the exact same hair I did my senior year. It's no wonder people still ask me if I'm sixteen. Like I said before, please drop me a line and let me know your opinion.

Happy Birthday Miguel!

Happy 32nd Birthday Miguel!

For his birthday, he asked his Mom to make him a good Mexican meal...mole (that e should have an accent) and no we did not eat a rodent for all of you who aren't familiar with this dish. It's actually a dark sauce that is typically put over chicken. It has a chocolate base and is very tedious to make. So much so, that I think his Mom has only made it once, maybe twice, our entire marriage. As you can tell, this was a special treat. She also brought all the fixins' to go along with it. Mexican rice, beans, and she even bought a trece leches Mexican birthday cake. Yum.Yum.

An update on the girls.

Miss Gabriela

She loves going to preschool, she likes for you to repeat after her, she's still obsessed with movies, especially Zorro and Little Einsteins. She likes to draw and practice writing letters. She loves to drink milk. She likes to dance and shake her bum. She all of a sudden has an opinion on what she wears and has informed me that some of her clothes make her look crazy. She helps look after Julianne and she professes to be Mami's best friend in the whole world.

Miss Sophia

Sophia is my little helper. She likes to ride on the vacuum when ever I use it. She'll throw a huge tantrum if I don't let her do it. If she sees you sweeping she runs to get the dust pan. She helps me load the washer and dryer. She is extremely obsessive compulsive. She notices every little detail. She'll scream at you if the baby has the slightest bit of something on her face until you clean it off. She likes to eat, but you would never know it by her size. She's into wearing mine and Gabriela's shoes around the house. She has a thing for the Little Einsteins too. She likes to float on her back in the bathtub, it's actually quite amusing to watch. She's pretty good at signing too.

Miss Julianne
Julianne is 5 months old now. Lately she has been the thorn in my side. She only likes to be on my hip. She crys when I nurse her, she cries when I set her down, she cries about everything. She's been waking up several times during the night. I would let her cry, but she sleeps in the room above the girls and I'm afraid she's going to wake them up. She does like to suck on fabric, like in the picture above. She thinks playing open and shut with her little legs is funny. She can almost roll over onto her belly. She's liking her dad more and more every day.