Farewell May

After countless recitals, baseball games, mother's day, birthday, visitors, finals, prom and projects I am proud to say...

In this season of my life, May seems just about as busy as December. We welcome the idea of some lazy days by the pool. Since I tried to document most of the events of our busy month, it's time to bust out the popcorn and junior mints and be prepared for a slew of video clips and pictures coming soon after a well deserved nap!

Goodbye Windex

One of the things that attracted me to my quaint, old house besides living on a street with the name Sunnydale, were the windows. Light floods in to almost every room on the first and second floor just beautifully. The family room and dinning room, where we inevitably spend the most time, have the most windows. If you've been to my house then you know how hand prints, foot prints, paw prints, pollen, dirt and hard water spots can take over these specific windows of my house. Now your probably asking yourself, how does she keep those windows so clean? ;) Well, today is your lucky day. I have the most awesome recipe for having streak free, clean windows using supplies you probably already have on hand. Just fill your kitchen sink or a bucket with a gallon of warm water and put a squirt of liquid Joy and a squirt of toilet bowl cleaner in while the water fills. Invest a few bucks in a good quality squeegee and scrubber that can be found at any cleaning supply store. They will have openings on the end to screw in a broom handle for hard to reach places. I use a micro-fiber cleaning cloth to wipe up the corners on places I missed. It works like a charm! I've been using this method for years and will never buy a bottle of Windex for as long as I live. Let me know how you like it? Happy cleaning! Marisa, this one's for you girl:)

10 things

I came across a very cool blog where readers are asked to share a list of things that make them happy. Here’s mine:

10 things (plus the obvious 7 pictured above) that make me terribly happy:

1. Looking into the eyes of my newborn baby for the first time

2. Baked goods made with only pure ingredients (meaning I can read what they are and pronounce them)

3. Calling my mom on the phone and hearing her say my name with enthusiasm

4. The feel of my pillow after a hard days work

5. Matthew’s laugh

6. Knowing who I am and where I came from

7. Snuggling in the big strong arms of the man I love

8. Coming home to a clean house after a vacation

9. Catching glimpses of my children's eyes in the sunshine

10. Chocolate covered strawberries

The list could go on and on. I'd love to read yours! Have a fabulous day!

The truest of friends

During the tumultuous years of teenage life, a girl simply couldn't ask for a better friend. This regal, furry friend is the first thing she sees in the morning and the last when she closes her eyes at night. He sits in this familiar pose in the middle of the driveway promptly at 2:15 pm everyday waiting for her arrival from school. He makes her laugh and bombards her with doggie kisses when she fails to get up to her alarm in the morning. I am so grateful these two have each other. He is a great comfort and companion to her. Don't be surprised if you see him wearing a bow tie at her her wedding someday. She's planning on it.

Happy Mother's Day

I read the following quote today and it reminded me so much of my own dear mother. 

"To help another human being reach one's celestial potential is part of the divine mission of woman. As mother, teacher, or nurturing saint, she molds living clay to the shape of her hopes. In partnership with God, her divine mission is to help spirits live and souls be lifted. This is the measure of her creation. It is ennobling, edifying, and exalting."

I love you mom!

I treasure my role as mother to these little beauties. How I love them so! They make my life complete.

Feliz Cinco de Mayo

Today I celebrate my Mexican-American ancestry. Today I will share with my own family the rich and beautiful culture I was raised in. I will cook up some of Grandma Martha's mexican cuisine and maybe even stuff a piñata full of candy.  I will sweep my front patio as I listen to Linda Ronstadt's Canciones de mi Padre. I will explain how words I often heard such as, "Gracias a Dios" (thanks be to God) and "Si Dios quiere" (if it be God's will) were more than just little catch  phrases, but expressions of faith and reminders of the Giver of all gifts. 

My mom is one of 10 children. Any and all family gatherings on the Gonzales side constituted a party. Only half of the clan is pictured below. I recall many a Sunday where we would meet up with our cousins at Moody Park and swing on the swings and share snow-cones. My sweet Aunt Becky (pictured to the right of me in a white shirt and jeans) was the first person to teach me how to straighten my hair with a round brush and blow dryer. A life changing experience in and of itself. 

My dad, who I affectionately call Papi, which means daddy in Spanish, is one of 11 children. Seven of which are pictured below. Once or twice a month during my entire early childhood, we would load up the car and head south for 8 hours to Valle Hermoso, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Moni and I slept, sang or took turns giving Papi a shoulder massage as he drove us towards the border. My grandmother and aunts were always there on the front porch to greet us with big smiles and hugs as we arrived.  Even in the most humblest of living conditions, we were treated like royalty. Abuelita Quina always had fresh mangos that she'd just purchased from the market waiting for me because she knew how much I loved them. Homemade tortillas and salsas were always on the menu as well. Because my mom dressed us to the nines, we were always taken to visit all of the extended family to show off  "Conrado's girls who came in from the U.S." And boy were we doted on. Royalty indeed. Moni and I  spent our free time running up and down a grove of trees in front of grandma's house playing with cousins or collecting pesos to purchase Chiclets, Tamarindo or Mazapan. In the evening our uncles would gather around on the patio with their guitars singing songs about love found, love lost, and everything in between. We played til we dropped to sound of singing, guitars and window boxed fans. It was a wonderful time.

As a teenager I took Mexican Folk dancing lessons at the community rec. center named Ripley House. I absolutely loved learning and performing various dances from the different states of Mexico. It was typically about this time of year that we would put on shows at local Arts Festivals. I later had the opportunity to dance with Lamanite Generation at BYU. 

The life I have now is so different from those days gone by. We now make different kinds of memories with our kids. Lots of things still remain the same however. The recipes live on. The family gatherings with loads of cousins are always a party. The singing and laughter continue. The feeling of belonging and being loved runs deep. That is what my culture gave me. That is what will live on forever.

The following clip is for my sisters. We'll need to get some video of Dad when he comes this weekend. Love you all!

Matthew and Sam

It's that time of year again. End of school year recitals. Matthew and his friend Sam did a superior job at Federation today. Here is a preview of the two of them playing Round and Round by Lynn Freeman Olson.