So, everyday after lunch I like to sit down and watch my favorite tv show called FAMA a bailar.. a reality based show about dancers.. Anyway, everyday during the one hour show, Marco and Bella are usually screaming at each other, yelling, crying, hitting each other, running in front of the TV, asking me for a snack.. you get the picture.. I can’t relax..

But today, today was different.. yes, they went in to their playroom and closed the doors.. there was silence, and I know that is not a good sign, but for those of you who have kids, you will understand that a little peace and quite now and then is what is needed, specially when you are trying to work, get something done or just simply trying to relax..

So, even though I knew the silence was not a good sign, I sat back and enjoyed my one hour show..It was great.. When it ended I got up and opened the doors not knowing what I was going to find.. And the little voice inside my head was right.. they are up to something.. 

And, Yes, Yes they were, they got a hold of a marker and decided to make a road for their cars.. with painted cars as well.. At that point I figured I had 3 choices, kill them, cry or take a picture for the blog.. and as you can see I opted for number 3.

And guess who’s idea it was???

As you all know, our little Isabella is quite the entertainer, she loves to dance, sing and we have now come to find out acting too.. She spends half the day looking at you tube videos of different musicals and attempts to learn the words to the songs, as well as the choreography..

Her latest obsession is the Musical Annie, she already has Tomorrow down, so now she is rehearsing.. It’s a hard-knock life!! problem is she says she needs more people to do it with.. So guess what I did all afternoon?? Yes, you guessed it.. I formed part of her cast!! She made me learn my part..(I got to be Annie, because she wanted to be one of the youngest girl in the group, the one that gets to jump in the laundry bin).. And so after a dozen times, we have it down!!

I will try to have Matt record us one of these days so you guys could laugh a little.. In the mean time I leave you with the actual You Tube video we have been copying..

Every year the end of the school year the kids do their little dance and song number depending on what activity they have been in all throughout.. In our case ballet for Bella and Judo (got his green/blue belt) and Guitar for Marco (not to forget Soccer). So this past month between rehearshals, costume changes and a little nerves the kids got up on stage and showed us what they had learned.

You can see all the pics HERE. as well as a couple of videos you will enjoy…

Video speaks for itself.. Although, does anyone know how to turn it the right way?? I took it with my phone.. Oh well.. Enjoy

I’m really late in posting all our activities, but as last week, the kids were sick and stayed home from school, so I have not been able to get anything done. I will try to recover slowly. Kids are feeling better but it all started around Carnaval which was last weekend so we did not do all the things we had planned..

Bella and Marco had a festival in school where they had to dress like something from the universe, Bella as I told you in another post wanted to be a star, and Marco ended up being a mix between and alien and who knows what. Anyway, they had a great time in school with their friends, and Bella had a Carnaval birtday pary the next day.. So then her birthday the next day..

I leave you with some pics..

VIEW ALL B-DAY PICS Here.  

Today was Bella’s Birthday!! She is 5 years old!! Where has the time gone.. She has been waiting for her birthday for about 3 months now.. We had a birthday party at the house and it was a bit of everything..First of all, Bella was up all last night barfing and with fever.. She woke up very weak and basically just wanted to sleep.. We let her rest and we woke her up a couple of hours before the party.. when we did, we realized she had a fever and Marco also started complaining that his “eyes” hurt (we have figured out that means he has a headache).. I gave them medine and Bella threw it all up.. at this point it was 5 pm and the guest where arriving in half an hour, we had to decide to either post pone the party of just let everyone come on over..

Finally, the medicine kicked in for both the kids and they were ready to party.. Matt & I had been preparing Bella’s three layer cake since yesterday and we had everything ready for a fun party.. and all this thanks to The American Store, I know sounds silly but in Spain there is no such thing as frosting, pancake mix or oatmeal.. but this online store, based out of Madrid, had everything I needed..

When I sent out the invitations (via email) I stated that whomever wanted to come in costume could do so.. adult or children since “Carnaval” (I will write about that tomorow with pics) was this weekend.. We were going to dress up but with the sickness dilema we didn’t get around to it..

Anyway, the guests started to arrive and no one was dressed up until our neighbors Eugenia and Enrique show up with their two kids all dressed up. They were cows!! It was the best costumes we had ever seen.. (home made) although they were not thrilled to see no other adult dressed up..It was as if we had pulled a prank on them, which we did not…(Sorry, again guys.. although you and the cake where the hit of the party). Some of the kids dressed up, Bella put on her favorite red princess dress (thank you aunt Anamarie) but by the middle of the party decided to put on her pj’s..

Overall, the party and the three layer cake was a big success. 

Ok, I think by all the stories I tell about Isabella you all know she is a character with a lot of Character.. Her new thing now is that she doesn´t want to be called Isabella or Bella, she would like us to referr to her as “Estrellita” (little star). We are not sure where she got this from.. It could be that the theme this year for Carnaval is the “universe” and she wants to dress like a star or she thinks she is a little star.. We are not sure.

Either way, we now call her Estrellita and she is very happy. I will let you know what she comes up with next week.. Marco still likes to be called Marco and thinks his sister is “tonta” (silly)…

Today after school two of Bella’s classmates Lucia and Adriana came over for a play date.. At first I was a little scared!! I picked them up from school and they were sooo excited, on the car ride home they were just yelling with excitement.. screaming and singing.. I stopped by our local bakery and got them some goodies.. It was so much fun to see the look of joy in their eyes just to be able to choose any pastry they wanted..

At home, they of course played dress up and spent the entire afternoon, putting make-up on, singing, dancing and screaming with joy..  It was so refreshing to see little girls just enjoying being little girls.. no cares in the world (other than what costume willl I wear next, or what color eyeshadow should I use).

I taught them a little dance and they just loved to pretend be ballerinas.. Overall, it was a fun afternoon for me, although the playroom is a mess, I have a headache from all the screaming and I don’t feel like cleaning..

you can view all the fun pics HERE.

Yes, I know she is only 4 years old, but all of you who know Bella, know that she has been 2 going on 16, 3 going on 18 and now 4 going on 20... All I have to say is that she already has a boyfriend. An older “man”, yes her boyfriend is 10 ( a 6 year difference which is not much considering that Matt & I have an 8 year difference).

His name is Pablo and he is a new kid in our urba. He has a twin brother (fraternal twin) and they just moved here from China where they lived for 6 years, he is Spanish but speaks perfect Spanish, English and Chinese.. It was love at first site and so far the love maintains..hahahaa.. Well, “love”. He invited her to his birthday party and she was thrilled.. and just yesterday they went to another birthday party for another boy in the urba and they spent the entire time together, holding hands, talking, he helped her sit down, eat her food and tie her shoe.. When he wanted to go play soccer with his friends she got mad and they got into a lovers quarrel and he decided to stay with her..He said he will wait for her….how romantic….
Anyway, very funny.. I will keep all of you updated…(sorry the pic is blurry, cell phone image)..

It sounds silly but when the kids finally learn how to shower themselves and you don’t have to give them a bath it is one less step we have to deal with in the nightly routine. Bella has actually been taken showers on her own but yesterday was the first time that she did the entire process all by herself.

She went in to her bedroom and picked out her pajamas, went to the bathroom got her towel ready and started the shower. She went in, shampooed her hair, put conditioner on, comb it out, washed hair body and rinsed off. She got out dried herself, put cream on,  put her pj’s on, wrapped a towel around her hair, and ran out to show me how well she did. I couldn’t resist taking a picture as I can’t resist now telling you the story.

As soon as I finished taking the picture she went back in the bathroom, blow dried her hair, put some cologne on and brushed her teeth…she is 4 going on 21…..