Saturday, July 30, 2005

Damian, Karin, and Liliana

I got some pictures sent to me from Damian, Karin, and Liliana.  Very cute pictures.

Happy Three...

Check out more pictures HERE.  More and More cousins...  :-) It would be nice to get them all together someday.

A dinner without munchkins.

Last night, we were able to go out and eat at a restaurant with my sister and her husband (Astrid and Alex).  We were able to get a baby sitter.... so we were KID FREE!!!

Wow... it sure was restful.... no yelling, fighting, dirty diapers....   :-)   I was on my best behavior.

Yummy...

Well, almost... here is a picture of me tempting Paola with dessert.  She has been doing great on her diet... but I could not help but offer her something sweet...  not to break her diet... but as a small reward for the accomplishment.  We should do this more often.... to balance out the time with the kids.... and make it a habit to have time with the adults.  This will help us to keep sane.

Thursday, July 28, 2005

Grass is always Greener...

You know the old expression "The grass is always greener on the other side"?  This picture reminded me of that old saying...

Grass is Greener

Where does that saying come from?  In today's society, we are constantly bombarded by commercials telling us what we should buy.... we start to look around at the things others have, and we say to ourselves... I wish I had that.  It is easy to get caught up in that... it is easy to forget about the things that really matter... and the allure of what is new and shiny...

Flip

Sometimes we have to focus on whats in front of us... and stop our son from killing his sister...  :-)  These are the things that matter more that "stuff"  ...not sure why Matthew was trying to flip his sister.... but a few years from now... when Megan looks back at this historical photo... I am sure she will get even...  :-)

Love you guys...

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Hot Summer's Day

Today was a long hot day.... Temperatures reached 100+ today.... and on top of that.... the Air Conditioning upstairs is dead...

Hot Hot Day...

So, ... now it is bed time, and we are all sleeping on the main floor.... Even with the sun down, it is way too hot to sleep upstairs.  I have to see if we can get someone to come and fix it tomorrow.  Its amazing how the heat and sun drain you.... I am ready for some sleep...  Good night all.

Sunday, July 24, 2005

Sohpia Presented

Today we presented Sophia at the church.  She was so cute.  All dressed up and ready to meet the world.

Howdy

Hard to believe she is a little over three months old!!  I added some of the pictures to the Gallery.

El amor en pareja es como un jardìn

Un esposo fuè a visitor un sabìo consejero y le dijo que ya no querìa a su esposa, y pensaba separarse.  El consejero, miràndole a los ojos, le dijo solamente una palabra:

 

-         ¡Amela!.  Luego quedò callado.

-         “Pero, es que ya no siento nada por ella”

-         ¡Amela!, volviò repetir el sabio consejero.  Y ante el descontento de su oyente, y despuès de un oportuno silencio, agregò lo siguiente:

o        Amar es una decision, no un sentimiento.  Amar es dedicaciòn y entrega.  Amar es un verbo, y el fruto de esa acciòn es el amor.

o        Amar es un ejercicio de jardineria:  arranque lo que hace daño, prepare el erreno, siembre, sea paciente, reigue y cuide.  Estè preparado porque habrà plagas, sequìas o exceso de lluvia; màs no pore so abandone su jardìn.

o        Ame a su pareja, es decir, acèptela, valòrela, respètela, dèle afecto y ternura; admìrela y comprèndala.

-         Eso es todo… ¡Amela!

 

Colaboraciòn ; Marìa Josè Darquea

Saturday, July 23, 2005

Sophia Sighs...

Ah ... A nice relaxing day at home.  We escaped to a trendy breakfast location that only societies elite can enjoy.  McDonalds.  Ah, a place not for kings.... (not burger king).

Hahaha

After that, it was a few fix up jobs around the house and some pool time (in the little inflatable pool).  A very relaxing day. 

Sophia did some exercises today.  I think she will start crawling soon.... or at least be able to throw stuff at me soon.
 
Good Times
 
Tomorrow we are presenting Sophia at the church!!  ....promise to have some cute pictures for tomorrow.  Hope everyone else is having a relaxing weekend like we did.  :-)

Thursday, July 21, 2005

Matthew's Friend Drew

A couple of weekends ago, we went to a birthday party for one of Matthew's friends, Drew.  It was a lot of fun, and very nice to see some old friends...(well, their not that old).

The party was at a park, that also had a pool park thingy next door.  Check out the pictures in the gallery.

Thanks to Drew and his parents for the invite, we had a good time.

I think I ran over someone...

"I think I ran over someone!!"

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Taebo Death

I am almost dead...

I had a couple of emails asking me how the working out was going…. And between the lines, I could hear the “did you give up yet?”

 

But NO… although sometimes I wish I could get more rest, I am still going at it.  I have gone for 200+ down to 185!!  J  I am proud of my accomplishments… but it is a bit discouraging that I am not going down any more weight.

 

I guess this is a good weight for me… but I had hoped to drop down to 175.  I am starting to get more tone, which is a good thing.  You know they say that muscle weights more than fat… but who are “they”?  I am sure that is also a good excuse not to keep losing more weight also…. So I won’t fall for that!!  175 is my goal… even if it kills me.

 

Well… maybe not if it kills me…. But you get the idea.  The other day Matthew and Megan woke up after their bed time and caught my wife and I doing Teabo.  It was the funnies thing seeing them work out with us…. They looked like they were having so much fun… laughing and jumping around….  I would have enjoyed that time more if only I was not suffering so much due to the pain in my abs.  J

We rule

(This is not that day... it was hard to think of getting the camera when I just wanted to lay down and close my eyes)

Monday, July 18, 2005

Como Comenzar Su Matrimonio Bien

Smack

Saturday, July 16, 2005

Invasion of the pod people...

The invasion has started, so beware!!  The pod people are trying to take over and I have proof.  They look like you and me... mostly... but there are some differences.  They are smaller and cuter than we are.

We are replaced

Here is a picture of two pod people who tried to replace us.... right down to our shoes.  They put up a good deception and had everyone fooled that they were us.

Another way you can tell that they are not the original Paola and Briam is that they seem much more energetic with a strong desire to play non stop.  But maybe that is just part of their master plan to take over.

I am not sure how my wife did it, but she was able to neutralize our two impostors.  But I don't think we have seen the last of them...

Bang Bang

You have been warned.... we may have stopped them this time, but they will be back.

Friday, July 15, 2005

Silence be thy middle name…

I have never ever been one that loved silence…. Even in college, I would always prefer to study with a radio on … and a TV… and people hanging out drinking beer.  I guess that’s why my grades were so good.  Ha Ha He He

 

Well my son is 3 ¼ now.  His grasp of both Spanish and English are astounding.  He even corrects me from time to time.  One thing that is starting to concern me is the relentless non-stop questions that he barrages me with at all times!!

 

I know it sounds funny…. Even TV and movies depict it as funny, but when it happens to you… day in… day out, it can start to wear down your patience.  I don’t know how my wife does it all the time.

 

I worked from home today, and it seems be getting harder and harder to get things done.  No so much because of my job functions (I can connect to everything I need as if I were at the office), but more so because I get derailed from what ever I am working on with question after question.

 

Silly Rabbit 

 

My favorite questions today were along the lines of why there were no dinosaurs, and what we could do to get them back.  Obviously to much TV or cartoons has taught my son that we can make a machine to fix anything.  On a dozen different occasions, Matthew came by and asked me to show him what something looked like (normally an encyclopedia internet look up is sufficient)… a dinosaur, T-rex, Elephant with Giant Tusks, Squid, Octopus…etc..  I wonder how we ever got along without the internet…but I digress.

 

I just pray that God gives me more patience…. I can’t wait until our younger two kids start asking questions too.

 

Good Night All.  God bless!

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Children's Museum of Atlanta

I finaly got a chance to put the Museum pictures in a Gallery.  They can be found Here.  Enjoy!!

Long day.... long night.  Time for me to get some sleep.  My younger sister is in town!! and hopefully we will be able to all get together for dinner or something.  :-)

Sleepy

Sunday, July 10, 2005

Child Labor Camp

So here is my plan to become rich.  First I will have to open up a child labor camp.  But you can’t just jump into some decision of this type without doing some research.

 

The line

 

First, I will need an assembly line.  Somewhere that I cant put a bunch of munchkins to work.  Here is my son and his friend, Drew, working the assembly line.  Their little hands will be perfect for moving and making the merchandize.

 

Register

 

And in order to make the money, we will have to have people manning the registers 24/7.  It will all pay off in the long run.

 

Lady Bug

 

Of course, we will need to have them wear the proper gear.  Some of the work conditions can be hazardous.  Here we have worker Megan sporting a lovely ladybug raincoat.

 

The Box

 

But I am sure that there will be moments when the stern hand of discipline will have to be used.  Here we have Matthew paying the price for a slow production day.

 

We were able to do our testing of our labor camp at this place:  Imagine It!     A very cool place!!  (More pictures to come to the Gallery when I get a little more time)

Nuestra Fortaleza

Dios quiere que usted sea fuerte en El.  Aùn cuando estè cansado o dèbil, su espiritu puede permanecer firme.  Dios le darà las fuerzas para afrontar las pruebas de la vida, porque El es su refugio.  La fortaleza al andar en la oscuridad porque el Señor es su luz.  La fuerza para resistir al enemigo, porque el Señor es us poderoso libertador.

“… en quietud y confianza està nustro poder.” – Isaias 30:15

Friday, July 08, 2005

Sleepy Time

Hello all! 

Today there was a sleep-over at our house for all the girls/young ladies from our church.  My wife was going to do a couple of the chats. 

A house full of girls!!  What fun.  So I did what any brave man would do.  I took the kids and fled.  :-)

Slumber Party

So, Matthew, Megan, and I are sleeping over at my parents house...  where it will be nice and peaceful.....  Only time will tell if I have made a wise choice....

Night Night.

Wednesday, July 06, 2005

Kids have all the fun…

Growing up I always thought that when I grew up, everything would be better.  After all, when you are a grown up, you can do what ever you want.  I would be able to stay out as late as I wanted.  I would be able to buy whatever I wanted.  Grown ups have all the fun!!  Isn’t that what we all thought?

 

I wasnt doing anything...

 

Well, I guess this is one of those, “the grass is greener on the other side” things.  Sure there are a lot of great things about being a grown up…. But there are some things that you also start to miss.  Remember the beauty in the simple things.  Remember being able to play the silliest games with almost anything and it was almost real.  The adventures I used to have!

 

I ATE ALL THE COOKIES!!! 

 

Well, looking at my kids, I start to miss being their age.  At that age, you are able to have fun under the simplest of circumstances.  In a way, I guess it comes back to us.  Don't we also start to have fun because of the fun that they are having?  I know that when my family is happy ... that makes me happy....

 

Thats funny!!!

 

...and I guess in some ways, thats even better.  Keep smiling!!

Tratando de hacer lo que sólo Dios puede

Supongamos que te invito a dar un paseo en barco, y aunque te he dicho que sólo aprendí leyendo un manual, eres lo suficientemente tonto para aceptar ... Te empiezas a preocupar cuando izo la vela un poquito, y empiezo a soplar.
-¿Porqué no izas la vela para que el viento la hinche?
-No puedo soplar toda la vela, y así yo puedo hacer que avance.
Mas tarde, se desata una poderosa tormenta que azota el barco.
-¡Bajaré el ancla!  Te sientes aliviado que, al menos, se donde está.
Pero te quedas asombrado,al ver que la pongo sobre el frente.(proa)
-Eso estabilizará el barco, grito.   Pero eso no lo hace, así que pongo el
ancla sobre la parte posterior  del barco.(popa)
-¡Ahora estamos seguros!
Pero el bamboleo continúa. Cuelgo el ancla del mástil, y nada.  Por fin, atemorizado, tomas el ancla y la hechas al mar, y exclamas: ¡No sabes que tienes que fijar el ancla en algo que no seas tú mismo!
Muchos no lo saben y se anclan a sí mismo. Su seguridad procede de lo que
hacen : linaje, ley, sus obras, ... Pero,...la salvación es asunto de Dios. Sólo hay un nombre (Jesús) en el cielo, que tiene poder para salvar, y no es el tuyo.

“No hay otro nombre, bajo el cielo en que podamos ser salvos”

Juan 1:12                                                                   

Max Lucado

Tuesday, July 05, 2005

More time for Photos

Hey all.  I finaly got some time to add more of the photos from Tennesee into the Gallery.  Check it HERE.

I wonder 

Here is a cute one....  I guess I have been a bit tired lately... what I need is a nice vacation from my vacation to try to recover..  :-)  Maybe that is what sick days are for?  I wonder....

Monday, July 04, 2005

Lights Out!!!

Ah, a break from the routine.  We got a chance to leave the city for a few days and visit my sister (Ivana) and her family (Tommy and Nicky).  The day we were driving up there (Friday), there were some storms where we live... and the lights went out.  So, my website was down for a few days, since I was not here to bring it back up.  I really should improve my backup power situation....

Well anyways.... we have a lot of fun visisting my sister and her family in Tennessee...  Here is a quick picture of My wife and kids, and Ivana and Nicky.  I will be able to add more pictures when I have a little more time.

Weekend in TN

It will all appear magically HERE in the gallery.  Thanks Tommy, Ivana, and Nicky for having us over.  We had a great time, and the kids love seeing you guys!!  I hope they were not too much.  [More to follow when I get some time]

Love you guys!