Happy New Year!

With today being the last day of the year I tried to get a really good "Happy New Year" picture of the girls. I tried again, and again, and again ... with mixed results. Nonetheless, I wish all my loved ones and friends a very happy 2012!

Out for dinner

Out for dinner

Peaceful during dinner

Christmas Card

Earlier today I got this on the mail, a signed Christmas card. I don't know exactly why I got it, but it was a nice surprise.

Sleepover

Tonight my girls are spending the night at my parent's house. I don't know whose idea it was, but I am pretty sure it was not mine. I know they are in good hands, but I miss them much. The house feels empty without them, and I don't get to see them right before going to bed. I am looking forward to seeing them tomorrow. For now, I need to sleep myself.

What to do in 2012

I haven't been spending as much time as I should thinking about my new year resolutions, but there are a few that jump right at me: Work less, sleep more, go to church more often, find more time to read with the girls every day, and pick up my workout pace once again. Occasional visits to the library would be good as well.

Festival of Lights 2011

Despite the cold and the crowds, I love taking the girls to the Cincinnati Zoo for the Festival of Lights. That is why every year, right before or after Christmas, I insist that we all bundle up and go. It is such a pretty sight. There's no place like it, it truly is a place where Christmas is all around.

Making a silly face

Bella's turn to be silly

Spoiling daddy

Leaving the zoo

Fortune Cookie

Tonight we went to a Chinese restaurant and the back of my fortune cookie said "Helicopter". Considering my recent history with helicopters, I thought it was kind of freaky.

She is back!

Since Santa already came and went, the little devil is back! ... not that she really ever went anywhere. As Sofia put it: "Mami, I don't know why Santa brought Bella gifts, because she has been naughty".

Christmas afternoon

After opening gifts we went to 11:30am mass, came back home for lunch, and had a lazy afternoon. Although not particularly warm it was sunny, so we went to the backyard for a little while to play in the swings. Later, in the evening, Lionel and I went to the movies while the girls went to visit my parents for a little while. I just had to get out of the house.

In front of Saint Mary

Christmas morning

Before going to bed on Christmas Eve Sofia left some cookies for Santa ... because she still believes. The following morning both my girls were once again blessed to wake up to many gifts. Bella's favorite seemed to be a small Dora set, and Sofia's was her new "American girl" doll. But they got plenty more.

Cookies for Santa

Sandie, Sofia's new doll

Bella's black ballerina skirt, purse, and books

Sofia's new nook



Bella's Pony

Sofia's Ballerina dress

Bella's black and pink/orange Ballerina skirts



Christmas gifts

My family does not do a Christmas gift exchange, which saves us a lot of stress. What we do is have the girls choose a gift from the dollar store for each family member, all by themselves. Since Bella is still at daycare where they do a "gift gala" as a fundraiser for the PTO, she gets to choose at school. Since Sofia is no longer there, I took her to the store and tried to help her choose.


The teachers at Bella's school told me they try to steer the kids in the right direction as much as possible, but they also told me that Bella wanted none of that. She knew exactly what she wanted for each one of us, and there was no such thing as changing her mind.

This sort of gift "exchange" may sound silly to many, but to me it's really cute and fun. You just can't predict what the kids will come up with, which can really generate a lot of laughs. As a perfect example, this year Bella chose for me a Bengal's bracelet, which made me laugh A LOT. I could totally care less about the Bengals. Everybody - except Bella I guess - knows that!

Other favorite selections by Bella included: A car cup holder organizer for abuelito, a totally random - and old - movie for grandpa, and travel shoe bags for Lionel. Sofia and I did pretty well at the dollar store - if I may say so - but the best idea was probably giving a gift to herself. She actually had fun opening her own gift, as if she didn't know what was in there.

Christmas Eve Part 3 - The Dinner

For dinner we got together at my house, the Beys, the Estradas, and the Eshwars. Gabi and Raj dressed Diego up as Santa Claus, which was very cute. The girls ran around and around, we all talked, ate, drank some wine, opened presents from the girls, and before midnight called it a night.