On a recent trip to Florida, I made Eric go with me to the bowels of southwest Miami to hunt down the places of my childhood. This is me in front of Silver Bluff Elementary where I went to school as a newly arrived Cuban refugee. It was here that I learned to read back in the See-Spot-Run days. And it was here in this public school ...
My Big, Fat, Cuban Family
Family is everything to me. I love them more than words can describe.
The One With My Face
Straight talk for mothers here: Let's talk about mothering and the potential for homicide. If you have grown kids, I really don't need to explain myself. Of my four kids, Adam is the one who makes me the craziest. Smart. Moody. Enthusiastic. Clever.He has boundless energy. That is, until he can no longer hold up his body weight from self-inflicted ...
It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood
If you're driving south towards San Diego on the I-5, you'll see this amazing sight. Color. Color. And more color. Miles of color. "What is that??" It always makes me think of Moses:"I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight.." ~ Exodus 3:3 Of course, he was talking about the burning bush . . . But, this. . . This ...
The Usual Suspects
We took my mom to Legoland today. That statement right there sounds like a joke, doesn't it? Okay, so here's proof. Of course, in my family, we always seem to travel in a pack. (herd? gaggle? flock?) Whatever. We do stuff together.A lot of stuff. Well . . . just about everything. And we think it's NORMAL.Well . . . okay. It's probably not ...
The Cheese Stands Alone
I was willing. Really I was.A houseful of people to cook for?Count me in!But, it wasn't meant to be."Mom, can we just order pizza?"ORDER PIZZA??Blasphemy!Of course not. If you must have pizza, I will make homemade pizzas for a dozen people. Cheese, pepperoni, mushroom & onion, garlic, tomato & basil. And serve sugary drinks.And ...
Can it be true??
This is my niece, Natalie.(whom I ADORE.)This picture is not in any way unusual. She always just brings drama with her wherever she goes.She can't help it. She's an artist.A tortured artist.Like me.(Only she's a thousand times more talented and I'm just, well... tortured. =D)She's 17 today. Seventeen?? How is that possible?If she's 17, that would ...
Cuban Mush Pot
A conversation with Jonathan:"What's for dinner?" "Tamal en Cazuela." "Tamales?" "Sort of." "Doesn't cazuela mean a pot?" "Yes." "Ummm.... Mom... it's MUSH." "Yes, but it's Cuban-style-corn-mush with pork and lime and garlic. Try it." "I'll eat it. And I'll ...
Quien es mas macho?
I took Jonathan to get a haircut. I have been taking him to a local barbershop. The real old-school kind with a striped pole in the front and 4 chairs lined up against one wall. (I think this particular outing should really fall under Eric's job description as Dad - after all, Jonathan is 11 and having his Cuban mother take him to a place ...
The Lucy Show
This is what happens when you have creative women in the house and a rip in the knees of your jeans.I think I remember it being last year's JCrew catalog that showed patched jeans for about $300. (!!) At times like these I make my kids repeat these magical words: "Mi mamá cose." "My mother sews." Seriously, all that good ...
Full House
I always wished that mine would be the house where all the kids wanted to hang out. (even though it makes me absolutely crazy when kids say they are just going to hang out.)But I am so not "the cool mom."I'm pretty strict about voices and volume and feet on furniture and doors being open. I insist on "pleases" and "thank ...
