Back on track!

I went on a short hiatus since I was sick for a week with a terrible sinus infection.  I could barely function to play my roles as mommy, worker and Cinderella, let alone blogger.  So, now that I am feeling better I can get back to documenting our days.  Here's a recap of what everyone missed in the very exciting life that is mine.  (That was a joke, it really is rather dull without my hubby around.)

April 16: I took the boys (Gabe and Xa) to sign up at the YMCA since it was free that day.  Gabe loved the daycare and Xa enjoyed the rec room.  They have a great facility with a trail, a pool and tons of equipment and staff that will show you how to use it and train you - all included in your membership.  Xa was even more excited when I told him they had a spy day camp this summer.  He can't wait to go!  After the Y we headed to the movies.  It was Gabe's first time ever at a movie theater.  Since we were running late I wasn't able to get his picture since the previews were running by the time we got our seats.  He did such a good job -- better than I expected.  We saw "Rio" which I thought was a cute little movie.  We finished the day by celebrating our next door neighbor's 89th birthday.  Gabe was so excited to help him with his cards and of course, the cake.  He only likes the icing so Dad helped him finish his piece.

April 17: We cleaned out the fish pond in the backyard and let Gabe and Xavier put the fish back in.  Gabe was insistent on touching/holding them but when give the chance declined.  He still had a good time "helping."  Lilli lending a hand too, of course!

April 18-21: I can't think of what we did so it must not have been worthy enough to write about.  Except for the day when Luis sent me flowers since I had been feeling down.  He's such a sweetie.

Finally, today:  We started our day off with breakfast at IHOP, which let me tell you is NOT on my new diet, so I guess I'll start it again next week.  Or maybe the week after since I'm headed back to Texas for vacation...  Anyways, after breakfast everyone took naps, except me of course, who had to do laundry and finish the diaper cake I've been putting off for over a month now.  And then after Gabe's nap, with inspiration from my good friend Laura and the cricut, he made sun catchers for his teacher appreciation cards and a butterfly for Mother's Day coming up. All the websites I looked at online said tissue paper and contact paper is a great project for toddlers.  They were right.  Gabe loved doing them.  Although towards the end he decided it was more fun to crumple the paper than to lay it on the paper flat.  They still turned out beautiful. 

We went out for dinner to a local pub restaurant for catfish (Gabe and I had chicken strips) and headed back home before the storm hit -- again.  (Side note, earlier during the week Mom and I went to Target for a birthday card and ended up sitting for 45 minutes in the back of the store with all the other crazy storm shoppers.  Not fun.)  The sirens kept going off so we turned on the news and sure enough there were two super cells north and south of us.  We barely got any rain but for good measure we camped out in the basement eating milk and cookies watching the news about all the damage from the storm.  It tore part of the roof off the airport, shattered windows and moved a shuttle bus on top of a building.  Gabe liked that picture, he kept asking how they would get it down.  Such a curious little boy.  After an hour or so it was safe to head back upstairs where my sweet babies are now snoozing away.  And, I, about to join them.

Back to our regular schedule....

I had to take a break for a few weeks since Luis had to come home suddenly on emergency leave.  Gabe was so excited to see his Daddy at the airport!

Unfortunately his brother was shot and killed by New Hampshire police and Luis was able to come home to pay his respects.  His brother was trying so hard to make something of his life, it's sad to know it was shortened and with no explanation given to us from authorities it makes the tragedy harder to bear.

January 15, 1982 - March 2, 2011

Despite the reason for his homecoming we did make the best of our time together and greatly enjoyed spending time with his family, some of which he hadn't seen in over 10 years.  It's so wonderful for our children to grow up and know everyone in the family.  I know Luis was limited in the family he was able to grow up with so I'm ever so thankful we have these opportunities to see everyone and share our time together.

Alfonso and his grand and great-grand kids

Grace, Alfonso, Luis and Johnny

Once we got back from New Hampshire we spent time with the kiddos visiting the St. Louis Zoo and we went up in the Arch.  The Zoo and the Arch are probably the first things I would tell people visiting the area to check out.  The Zoo, unlike any others I've ever been to, is free!  It is full of animals and will take you all day to take in all that it has to offer.  For additional charge they have a Children's Zoo which allows the kids to get closer to the animals.  They have an indoor area where you can pet rabbits, guenea pigs and they had the owls out when we visited.  There's the outdoor petting zoo with goats.  There are places for them to climb and explore - it's just wonderful for them.  They also have a stingray tank, a carousel, and a train ride. 
  

Watching the Elephants

Children's Zoo

As for the Arch, just visiting the grounds is a great start, but for even more fun you have to go inside.  The Westward Expansion Museum, undergournd, is neat.  They have displays of animals and talking wax figures that give a little history about the movement west.  There is a small, and I do stress small, elevator that takes you to the top of the Arch, 630 feet above the ground, for breathtaking views of the city: both the IL and MO sides.  If you stand still you can even feel the Arch sway from side-to-side.  It's just something you have to do at least once in your life!
 

Looking down below

Elevator to the top

After we spent some much needed quality time with our kiddos we needed to get away for a free days and recharge.  So we headed off to Branson.  We had a great time.  We stayed on the strip at the Holiday Inn Express, caught the Dixie Stampede dinner show, ventured around Silver Dollar City and saw the Yakov Smirnov dinner Adventure show.  They were both great, although Luis' favorite parts were lunch/drinks at the Rowdy Beaver and Ernie Biggs Piano Bar.  We also hit up the Tanger Outlet Mall, The Shops at the Grand Palace and the new shops at the Landing.  It was a good two days of rest, relaxation, fun and shopping!  I can't wait to go back with Gabe - he'll love all the city has to offer. 

After all our sight-seeing adventures we wound down our two weeks together with a trip to the Park for kite flying.  Gabe loved holding the string, but when he was done he said: "Don't let go..." and promptly let the string go.  Our friends Heather and Lorenzo darted up the hill across the park to try and catch the kite.  It was a great day.

It's always sad to see Luis go back to "work," as Gabe calls it.  It hurts my heart even more to hear the sadness in my little boys voice when he asks to go with daddy and is told no.  I know he'll be home soon.  His grandfather always tells me, you can never stop time.  It will always keep going and I'll be one day closer to seeing my love, safe in my arms again.