Our Mosaic

Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.
Stanely Horowitz

Bela's self-portrait!

The Prek Booth is DONE! The Fall Festival was a huge Success! We raised well over $30, ooo!

The children and Mommies helped create the Dr. Seuss literature fishing pond! Awesome!

Isaebela refused to have Crystal tag along for the next ride. She's so brave! Icouldn't even look!I took this pic with my eyes closed!
House Hunting afternoon. Had to get Crystal's approval. ANd..Pops and the Garcias. We did it for them when they searched, they had to do it for us! Board decisions!
School's thanksgiving Feast today...awh! Isabela is the cutest little button there!

We are so very thankful for what God has graced us with. I couldn't ask for more.Papi surprised Bela with this blanket today. All they way from the M&M store in LAs Vegas, NV. Anybody who knows her, knows that M&M's is her favorite treat. Sammy carries a small bag in his car all the time and Isabela gets to have a count of 5 at any given car ride. We told her that she can only use it on her bed. We'll see if this keeps her there through the night!

On another note. Isabela seems to have blossomed over the last few days. I really believe having a dose of Crystal has made a significant difference. So many changes have happened in Isabela's life lately. Crystal not being here really weighs on her heavily as she asks about her every single day "Mami, is Crystal coming today?" as she can be spotted grasping her stuffed Beavo (UT's Longhorn Marcot) quite tightly. But, I have noticed her behavior requiring less redirection from me and her teachers. The teacher reports since this weekend have been fabulous. Her extended day teacher even told me that she has been quite articulate lately, talkign about kids, what they are doing, why they do it and just random, interesting thoughts. Her English vocabulary has been increasingly progressing and she just about learned every English phoneme and is blending sounds, along with simple sight words. There are several Spanish letters that sound the same, but more that don't . Plus, the vowels do not agree with one another in the two languages. So, I am impressed! As usual, I will not rush Bela, she has her own course, and it's my job to give her the freedom to ride along it her way. What I told her two teachers today is that Isabela has always been eager to talk, share and learn, but she just never really felt comfortable enough with most people outside of our little family. I am glad Isabela is now ready to show the world all the wonderful things we have always been seeing in her! You can even see her coming out in her school pics. ahh...

FALL Backwards!

We are in full swing with Autumn and Halloween over here! It's so funny to me how I implored upon my mother to never mention to her the mythical "Cucuy" (monster) we, as Latinos, grow up fearing. I explained to my mother that I was not about to threaten her like that for fun because then I would find myself looking for them in closets or under beds in order to scare them away for Bela. My mother agreed, but the reality is that Isabela somehow knows about them and WANTS to be ONE! At least, a friendly one! Honestly, I don't think Isabela really realizes how scary they are to most children. She innocently thinks it's funny and silly. Crystal and I had no idea how to dress her up as a monster for Halloween, so this is what I came up with...like I said earlier on, it's very telling of my sweet angel...or should I say, my little daredevil!

Of course, Cavett right next to her, as a soldier, to serve and protect her and anyone!

Before our little Halloween dress rehearsal, Isabela and I spent the afternoon baking! We have been talking and reading about pumpkins lately, so I thought she should have a taste. We made pumpkin trifle! Crystal is going to kill me! Her favorite holiday dessert..yikes! We also made pumpkin and ghost shaped cookies with M&M's, Bela's favorite candy. Isabela really enjoys helping out in the kitchen. Plus, it didn't end there. Anna and Mark had a fun dinner idea to follow. The kids made their own pizza with Anna's homemade pizza dough! Yummy!

To end the weekend just right, Isabela designed her own outfit for church, a new Autumn one, and had a blast at the church's pumpkin patch. Meanwhile, Pops, Bela's grandfather, was picking out a just-right pumpkin for Isabela, but she was not impressed by the perfectly round, large bumpy pumpkin (that I loved). She had something else in mind. In usual Isabela fashion....she seems to always see a spirit in ways that we don't understand.

Hope you are loving Fall Isabela!!!