Eva and Mimi

So I didn't have enough foresight to take pictures in the house.  These were taken right before we left for school.  

Taken just because he comes along every morning to do the drop off.

Remember back when I told you we got to take the turtle home because Eva was a good girl at school.  Well before that she was able to take Mickey Mouse home for good behavior.  She loved that.  But what I think she loved more was taking Minnie Mouse home.  Mind you though they don't call her Minnie here, they call her Mimi.  My friend went looking for a pinata that was Minnie Mouse and people didn't know what she wanted.  Eventually though they figured out what she meant was "Mimi."  I am not sure what the history behind that is.  So, every since school started the mouse family is what my kids love.  In fact, one day we went to that same friend's birthday party with the minnie mouse pinata and Elijah decided he was going to take the flattened head home. (Flattened because it was a used pinata, of course.) Well, that head lived at our house for two weeks, until he could forget about it long enough for me to throw it out.  Not only did it live at my house, Elijah had to sleep with that scary flattened head every night.  I would try to hide it but every night before he would let me shut his door, he would scan his bed, see mimi missing and ask, "Mimi?Mimi?"  It was the strangest thing ever.  Because of the new found love to these character, they will be the theme for Halloween this year, as well as what I will be looking for for Christmas.  Crazy kids, I tell you!

Baking with Papa

This pose was Elijah's idea.  And Eva, such a little model.  

Do these guys have matching smiles or what?

Can these kids be any cuter!?!  They were being goof balls tonight and I guess goof ball children need more sugar or something because Matthew thought it would be a good idea to make them some cookies.  He's the baker around this house and he has lots of willing participants to eat cookie dough.  It must be a "gringo" American thing because I still don't get all the rage on eating raw cookie dough, but these kids love the stuff.  I kept laughing because after every ingredient that went into the bowel Elijah kept asking "ya, papa?"  like, can I eat the dough now?  He still doesn't quite get it that you need dough before you can eat cookie dough.  Oh, and don't let these faces fool you.  They can be stinkers too.

Mexico Part 23: Avenida Chapultepec take II

With the wake of the Panamerican games coming to Guadalajara, they made this cool 3D sign that says Guadalajara 2011.

The girls, Monste, Vanessa, Dany and I, at Yogurtland

So I finally got to see the real Avenida Chapultepec night experience and it didn't disappoint.  Of course it doesn't hurt when you are in good company.  Last Saturday, we went and checked out what the nightlife downtown has to offer.  There are a lot of little vendors and you can find lots of crafts, jewelry, hair stuff, and knit/crochet goodness.  I LOVED it.  I have found this new love of earrings.  I never thought I could wear anything that wasn't real gold or silver but a friend of mine here told me that all I had to do was add clear nail polish to earrings and viola!  I can wear whatever I want.  It is so great!  Needless to say I am having fun buying and wearing all sorts of fun earrings.  Why is it that the simple things in life bring me such happiness.  Another thing that brought me happiness that night was going to Yogurtland.  As far as I know we don't have one of these in Oregon, but my friend, Vanessa kept talking up Yogurtland and I was not disappointed.  This place seriously has some of the BEST yogurt I have ever tasted and it seems like Mexicans really like their yogurt because they have a ton of different yogurt places all over the city.  I got a little bit of pistachio yogurt and apple cinnamon something or other and as I was finishing up I was sad I hadn't bought more.  This is not the last time I visit Avenida Chapultepec.  Maybe next time I will even bring the fam with me.  I am starting to feel a little guilty that I am seeing all of these things without them.

Avenida Chapultepec has performers that put on quite the show.

Only in Mexico can you find a Yorkie puppy being sold for 450 pesos (about $33).  If Matthew and River wouldn't have killed me, I maybe, would have considered.

Sunday Sweets

Some of the cool people there.  Vanessa is the beautiful brunette on the bottom right.

Her Lola, and my Eli.  Can you tell he LOVES her baking?!?  

I have a sweet friend here, Vanessa, that has some mad skills in the baking department.  For fun, which I can't understand since I am NOT a baker, she likes to make what she calls Sunday Sweets.  It is the coolest tradition.  And, she's kind enough to invite my little family over for some good company and yummy treats.  So far, we have enjoyed cookies, cinnamon rolls, and pumpkin bars.  Can't wait to see and taste, of course, what's baking in her oven next.

Mexico Part 22: Tianguis

Beads anyone?

They cut the fruit fancy to make it more tempting.

This gives you an idea how many stands and people there can be at a tiangis.  Depending on the time of day they are more crowded than others.  They do cram a lot of stands in one area.

You buy by the kilo.  I am still trying to learn the metric system.  I should have paid more attention while I was teaching my third graders.

The nice thing about the tianguis is you only have to buy what you need.  If you only want a quarter of the head of lettuce they will cut you a piece.  No more waste here.

These are the tlacoyos.  They don't look super amazing but add to the top of them some crema (mexican sour cream), salsa, nopales (cactus), beans and a freshly squeezed orange juice on the side and you are good to go!

Finally, my post about the tianguis.  All around the city at any given day there are these tianguis.  They are open markets and depending on the size of the tianguis you can find anything you might be looking for.  This isn't normally the tianguis that I go too, but I took pictures here because I was able to go for pleasure and not have to get the weekly list of goodies.

What do I love about the tianguis?

1.  Fresh fruits and vegetables.  I have stopped buying from the store because they are much more fresh.  They can last you two to three times longer than the ones bought from the store.  The selection is pretty large.  You can almost find everything you might be looking for.  They also seem to have fresh berries all year which is nice as well as your mangos, papayas, jicamas, tunas, whatever your little heart desires.
2.  Fresh eggs.  No more store bought eggs for me.  They eggs aren't refrigerated from the tiangis but they are usually never refrigerated around these parts.  But, when you crack a tiangis egg they seem to crack easier which I always thought meant fresher.  Not to mention that they are cheaper too.  The only thing that isn't good is Elijah with the eggs.  He thinks they are balls so on Mondays (which is the day I go to the tiangis) I have to watch my eggs like a hawk.
3.  The people.  I LOVE the people and I think they like me too.  What's not to like right?  They are super nice and they seem to ask about me when I don't come.  Which really doesn't happen often but it is nice when they realize I didn't come one week.  A familiar face makes shopping so personal and a much more pleasant experience.
4.  Tlacoyos and sopes.  They are our Monday breakfast.  They are a stuffed tortilla kind of and I LOVE them too.  Elijah and I are spoiled.  We can be stuffed with a total of 40 pesos (which is $3) and you can't beat that!

So, if any of you ever get the chance to visit me here, guaranteed you will be going to the tianguis with me to experience this great thing about Mexico.

Mexico Part 21: Trompo Magico

Eva at the playground 

It seems like these kiddos come with us a lot to trompo.  Noah, Ava and my Eva

Eli on the cow, that since then, I have noticed a sign that you can't ride the cow.  Whoops.

Riding the tractor.  Anything with a steering wheel is fun.

In reality these pictures are back from May, but I thought I would post together since the post is all about Trompo Magico.

It seems like lately we spend every Saturday at this place.  And this place is Trompo Magico.  I think it is one of my favorite places here in Mexico.  It is nothing different when compared to a Children's Museum back home.  I suppose that is what I like about it.  It feels so American, so kid friendly, so clean.  The place is hardly ever crowded and it is always well stocked.  In this way it is better than the Portland's Children Museum.  That place seems like it is always packed and I couldn't really afford to go there unless I used their cultural pass from the public library.  But here, the kids and I bought a membership so that only thing I have to pay for when I go is the 20 pesos ($1.50) I pay for parking.  What a steal I tell you, because the membership is only 350 pesos for a family of 4 (it was about $30 for me at the time).  The kids never get tired of playing inside and if they do we head outside and play in the outdoor park and have a little lunch.  Most of the time we go with friends.  It is easier to keep track of the kids if there are multiple moms there.  We each help watch each others children and not to mention we keep each other company while the children play, play, play.  Just writing about this place makes me HAPPY.

There is a mat area that is technically for children under 2 but Eli can seriously spend one hour in this place wrestling the mats and getting stuck in these tubes.  He wasn't too excited here.  

Look at him palm this baby.  All those stethoscopes were placed in the crib by yours truly.  

In the bubble contraption.  Love this pic.  Naomi, Eva, Ava, Erik.

Look at that face, but isn't the bubble cool?

Mexico Part 20: Independence Day

In case you didn't know, September 16th the kids get off school for Mexican independence day.  The real fun, however, is on the 15th.  People party the night of the 15th and then at midnight, they do the "grito" and light their fireworks.  Since it feel on the weekend, most people left town leaving Guadalajara nice and quiet.  In fact, I really didn't even hear very many fireworks at night.  Well we celebrated with our church.  Every year our Stake puts on an independence day party with music and tacos.  People get real into it and dress up in festive green, red and white.  We had a great time.  Matthew is still determined to take some dance lessons soon, but my little Eli was my dancing partner for the night.  So, beginning September the Mexican flags start coming up and there are carts on the street selling the colorful attire.  They even sell bigotes (mustaches).  We have yet to buy one for Matthew but I think next year we have to.  The other fun thing about this month is that Eva gets into the spirit from school.  There were multiple nights in a row where she would run around the house yelling "viva Mesico."  Yeah, she still has issues saying, Mexico, but I think it's cute.  It is crazy to think that our little girl is really learning to love this country.  I guess it is only fair if we dragged her here in the first place, right?  We really are lucky to be here.  The kids will really be able to understand their Mexican roots, when this is all said and done.  So, here you go people...VIVA MEXICO :)

Dylan, is such a ham.  She sees the camera and she has to be in the picture.

Trying to look as festive and possible.  Next year, I will be better at this.

I just noticed that the only good pic of Eli is with his friend Dylan.  What the heck, Eli?  Don't you strive to impress your mom anymore?  

Eva and her buddy Naomi.  This was take two.  The first pic Eva had her eyes partially closed.  This is what I got after I told her to open up her eyes.  She likes to be a goof ball.