Week 7--A walk, food, and Tiny, the dog

Today, Friday, Feb 17th, we went for a walk, Jared didn't work since it is Presidents weekend. Aiden and Bella wanted to collect specimens to look in the microscope. Well, soon after we started to walk the kids decided it was a good day to ride their bikes so they ran back home to get them, the collecting science kit was handed to Jared to hold and soon forgotten. It was a nice walk. The dog satisfied his smelling needs, I hope, and we had a good 20 minutes of family outside time. We do go outside often but usually only to jump on the trampoline or pick up the mail. I'm glad Spring is almost here, I love to walk outside in the Spring time. I love to walk in the Fall and early Summer mornings also. I just love to walk as long as it's not to cold. My family does not like to go on walks, they are crazy!

This is me, I am not crazy, I like to go on walks

Yesterday I made German pancakes for breakfast

Don't be fooled by his face,he liked them, he actually had thirds

Now that I mentioned the dog. He is also crazy. Said dog, named Tiny, had an accident in our sun-room yesterday. Why? I have not the slightest idea. I let him out a few times in the morning, before leaving for a couple of hours, I had lunch at Panera Bread with the children. When we came back there was a "surprise"waiting for us. I confronted Tiny and he pretended he had no idea of what I was talking about, so I had to led him to the "crime scene", then he showed signs of being ashamed. I trust he was. I was a little mad, and I would have put him out, but it was raining and he doesn't really like to get wet, if he ever does it again I will definitely put him out (unless it's raining).

Doesn't he looks sorrowful?

And now more food. While we continue to try to eat mainly vegan food sometimes I add fish and eggs to our food, usually on the weekends. During the week we eat a lot of beans, humus, polenta, vegetables, etc. Vegetable stir-fry has become a staple at our house, spring rolls were a nice addition, which Jared hasn't tried yet since he was away the 2 times I cooked them. I also cook a vegetable curry stew often, and of course rice and beans. We have discovered that vegan sausage is pretty good, and also vegan "ground beef"  is a pretty close alternative to the regular stuff. We are satisfied with our meals, although I need to add more recipes to my repertoire. This is pasta with imitation crab (it would have been vegan except for the imitation crab, that was just fishy) spinach and tomato, quite delicious.

I added al dente pasta to the buttery sauce and the final result was great!

Jared is home he just doesn't always makes it in the pictures

Week 6--Shame! not a picture this week

I failed, I didn't take any pictures this week. Jared was not home, he left Friday of week 5 and came back on Wednesday. On Thursday we left to Tennessee to house hunt. We found a home put an offer and it was accepted, now we just wait and wait but only for a month. We are extremely excited, ecstatic, etc. We were busy and now it is already week 7.

Week 5--A taste of rainbow

This week I tried rainbow food. Not exactly what you are thinking, Skittles, but what Isabella and Aiden called "rainbow color food" so I am going with their description of it. Anyways it was pretty good and healthy. I am very proud of my rainbow...and I didn't take anymore pictures so that it all, for now.
I am trying really hard to make good food choices...so far so good.

Week 4--Washington DC

This week we accompany Jared to Washington DC. He had a conference, we had a new place to visit. It was great! We took lots of pictures, sow lots of things, etc. Jared was only able to go with us on Thursday afternoon, the rest of the week was just the kids and I. The yearly Pro-life demonstration coincided with our visit so on Monday there were a lot of people, some loud speaker usage and even Christian rock music.
Fun!

outside of the Smithsonian metro station

walruses, we find them everywhere nowadays, this one is dead

Isabella is a dead gazelle, Aiden a cheetah ready for his meal, the kids are acting-out a wild life story at the national zoo

everyone took lots of pictures, isn't that a cool butterfly?

note the butterfly image on Aiden's camera

the capitol bldng

At the museum of natural history there were 3 huge totems with their respective stories

Finally Jared is able to take a brake from his conference and joins us

last, but not least, express yourself!

week 3--Exersice, books, and anger management

 This is me after a 45 minutes of zumba and an hour of body flow. I started doing body flow a couple of weeks ago because the kids swimming schedule didn't allow me to go to zumba. Body flow was the only class during my available time, you know how it goes, children come first :)
Body flow is a mix between yoga, tai chi, and pilates. It is really easy to follow, no complicated steps, but it is challenging. If you concentrate on your movements and keep a really good stance it is really tiring. I sweat while my belly muscles are burning. I recommend anybody to give it a try.


 Today is the last day of the week and Jared will be home tonight. We finally made it home on Tuesday evening after our adventures going to Tennessee. Today Aiden was unhappy. Actually he has been unhappy quite often since Jared left. He gets angry for silly things and I have to send him to cool off. Today I sent him to pick up the mail, which he loves to do. Thankfully it only takes him a few seconds to a couple of minutes to "cool off".

 Isabella does not act up like Aiden, Thank goodness, she only reads, and reads, and reads some more. Some times I have to sent her to time-out for reading instead of doing other work, like math, or writing, or picking up her pajamas, or getting dress, etc.She usually sneaks into bed with a book and a flashlight to read when I think she is sleeping. Isn't she cute? She is currently reading Harry Potter 5, The Order of the Phoenix and Aiden has been reading Mr. Popper's Penguins. He moved quickly from "Frog and Toad are Friends" to BIG chapter books.

I'm so very proud of them, they are such great readers!!!

Week 2--House Hunting

Even though week 2 is gone I actually took the pictures during last week. The kids and I were house-hunting in Tennessee. We found 3 houses that I liked and I think will work for us, but now we have to wait for Jared to see them some time in February and decide together. It will also help if said houses are still active in the market.

The backyard of one of the houses I liked

The kids were very good sports during the whole weekend while we went from house to house. They didn't seem to mind all that driving and looking a boring houses that much...

It helped that there was a DS available as you can see. I didn't really liked this house...

or this one. Although the yard was beautiful.

The Cox-Cardeso Family

The Cox-Cardeso Family