Fitting under the smallest spaces....

Playing video games

Aidan...Aidan...?

Do you hear me? Why are you covering your ears?

Well, I was getting on to him for playing rough with his older brother Cristian. Yes, older brother and he didn't want to hear me! This kid is a tough cookie! But isn't he so cute!

Julian, Cristian, and Aidan

This is what you do when the parents are out of town!!

Growing as he sleeps...

Wow!! Esme just sent this picture of her little one! Two weeks ago he was 13 lbs. Gosh, he has grown!

Tuesday...

If I thought yesterday was a bad day, today was worse!!! I ---- became the smallest dirt or soil in our Rainforest! (Despite the growth of vegetation the rainforest, the quality of the soil is quite poor!) That's how I feel. But hey, tomorrow is a new day. Yeah, I'm a little nuts today! Why did I say rainforest? Well, my 3rd grade team is working on a rainforest in our hallway. Which by the way looks really great. In the upcoming weeks we are going to studying about the rainforest and its inhabitants. In a month, we are taking a field trip to the Dallas World Aquarium!! Fun huh!! Although I have gone to the Aquarium several times, I can't wait to go with these group of children. I know they will really learn and enjoy!

Until tomorrow!

The sun still shines! (Ojala, que el sol regrese!)

What...

I've been weighing myself wrong all these years!?!

Monday...

What a tiring Monday! Weekends are for resting...right? Why am I so tired? Perhaps it's because...my body knows that in a week we will have SPRING BREAK!

Well, I haven't made it to the gym yet like I intended to...but come one, it's Monday. Everyone is at the gym on Monday! I guess I'll wait a bit longer and surely people have cleared out of there.

International Wildlife Museum

On Sunday we went to the International Wildlife Museum. It was a great hands on exhibit. Unlike most exhibits that say PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH, this was had signs TOUCH PLEASE! The exhibit featured wildlife from all over the world. From insects, moose, bears,deer, mammoths to wildlife dung! Yes, dung, people study dung to find out how long animals lived and the different plants or animals they ate.

It is a great place for to take the kids on a field trip. Too bad it too far away to travel to Tucson for a field trip. Just imagine, driving a yellow bus all the way from Texas to Arizona! FUN road trip??!

Paquito

Tucson

I find myself in the desert, enjoying the 67 degree weather, appose to the scorching 100 degree summer weather. So they say, I really know how it really feels! Everyone here seems to be enjoying the nice weather...wearing their shorts and flip flops.

I'm in Tucson, Arizona visiting my friends the Silvestre's! I've been here since Friday night and had a great time here enjoying their new bundle of joy Paquito! Precious little one! I do have to say he is a lot whiter than I expected. Becoming a parent certainly changes people. Not because I have the experience. I just have the experience of seeing how these newly parents have changed since their gift from God has made his way into their lives.

Paco and Esme, I know you guys have just started, but you are doing a great job being parents. A little over protected but I guess I'll find out some day! ; ) The Lord willing!

You didn't know I could ride a horse, did you?

Did you know I could ride a horse? Well, to tell you the truth, not very well. Although I really love horses and I would say they are my favorite animals, I haven't learned now to ride in full stride. I have always been fond of horses and enjoyed riding especially when we would go to my grandparents' place in Mexico. I also had a horse when I was about 7 years old but I didn't ride her much because my father was breaking her. I could only ride when he was with me. My dad has another mare now and she is beautiful but a mine of her own. Maybe because she pregnant!!

This picture was taken in November when we went to my aunt and uncle's place. During the warm months, which means...spring, summer and sometimes fall and winter in Texas, my uncle has a rodeo, some would say. But it is actually a coleadera. I have only been a couple of times but it is a rather nice sport to watch.
I'm sure you are wondering why I don't have my feet in the stirrups correctly? Well, I can't reach! Instead of adjusting the length, I just slide my feet in between. My dad use to tell me to do that when I was younger.

Saturday School

Today was the first day of Saturday school for my kids. We decided to have Saturday school to offer tutoring for those students needing extra help to prepare them for the TAKS on 20th of this month. It went really fast today! The children seem to do extremely well. when I say well, I mean with the right attitude! (Funny, but my kids love to go to school on Saturdays!)

After Saturday school, I drove around Big D and to Plano to see a friend and her daughter. They were in Plano for a volleyball tournament. Anita's daughter is only in 8th grade but plays in a volleyball league in Abilene.My friend Anita use to be my 7th grade math teacher many moons ago. We have kept in touch over the years. Well on Saturday afternoon we had lunch together and talked about teacher stuff...the attitude we get throughout the day and those special experiences we have being an educator. I'm so glad I teach 3rd grade!

I do have to mention that Anita was the person that told me not to teach! She warned me and I didn't listen. Something I don't regret doing. She wanted me to do something that made more money I guess. She always said and continues to say that I could do something since I'm bilingual. Although Anita tried to discourage me ... she still inspires me! ( funny )

Patience running dry

I was asked by one of my students..."Miss Zermeño, you need to have more patience with us." Now that was a wake up call for me coming from a 8 year old. I'm embarrassed to say, one of my students told me I needed to have a little more patience. For a second there, I thought I was the student. The child that need to be correct on account of bad behavior. Wow! It is sad to hear it come from one of my students. I do admit it. I wasn't having a good day...perhaps it was because I didn't have coffee that morning...or was it because I was really craving Starbucks but having Starbucks drains a teacher's wallet. Whatever the case was, it's just really an excuse. There shouldn't be any in my profession. That is what I do teach these little children the core subject- get them excited about Science, help them learn the English language and pride them of our own. Teach them how to write in cursive...and inspire them with mathematics problems...and express the importance of being good citizens. Aha...they taught me a lesson. What...lead by example!
So my patience is running dry! I guess I have to refuel. What you ask? Rest, deep breaths...and a cup of coffee!

La Parroquia

La Parroquia de la Asuncion is the largest church in Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco! The church I believe I read was finished in 1798.










Another picture!




The main entrance to the church.





El jardin in front of La Parroquia de la Asuncion.



No, this is not near a beach...sorry. Rather, the trees in the plaza or jardin in front of the main church in Lagos de Moreno. It was really cold outside but the trees were as green as could be.

Mi Familia

This is my grandmother with her daughters. The lady in the middle is not my grandmother! She is my aunt, my father's older sister. It just so happens that she has more gray or should I say canas than my grandmother.



These are my cousins Toño, Lupillo, and Vale. Lupillo is really a distant cousin but also carries the last name Zermeño. Funny huh! (Lupita and Lupillo) I guess you could say he was named after me! Haha!



My aunt Antonia and cousin Luz.

Mis Primos!

Silvia, Eduvijes, Lorena, and me.


Tia Marcela, Rolando, and me.


This is my brother Rolando. You guys didn't know I had a brother did you? Well, it is a long story! Actually Rolando is my cousin but I love him as if he was a big brother! He is only eight days older than me!(I know, he looks old, huh?) Rolando was in Mexico visiting as well for the holidays. He and his wife live in South Sioux City, Nebraska.

My cousins: Cecilia, Beatriz, Rolando, Silvia, Juan Valentin, and Luz

Acostamientos

This is a tradition called Acostamiento del Niño Dios. We begin by praying a rosary with singing and additional scripture readings. As show here in the picture, the children present their baby Jesus to everyone present. In this case there are five Niños Dios. Each couple sways/rocks them every one joins in prayer and singing before laying them down in the Nativity Scene. The acostamiento usually occurs after the Posadas. The Posadas are the celebrations the nine days before the 24th of December (Noche Buena). The Acostamientos usually during December 24-30. This is the true meaning of Christmas...the celebration and rejoicing the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ!

Grandmother

This is my grandmother Beatriz Cruz viuda de Zermeño! Yes my dad's mother. She lives in Cañada de Mena (ranch) near Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco. She celebrated 84 years of life in July 2006. She is such a wonderful person with a huge heart and a tremendous memory. Incredible story teller! She can tell you something that happened 70 years ago and tell as if it happen yesterday! Why is it that I forget what I did last year?

Mi Abuelita has to be one of the strongest people I know. She has encountered many obstacles in her life and still manges to remain strong and positive. She finds God's grace in every situation. It is so beautiful to hear my grandmother speak about life...about things she has experienced and the people she has met and our course my grandfather who past away 7 years ago. The past three Christmas' I've spent it in Mexico...SHE is the reason why!

Christmas in Mexico

This is Leti! She should have kept her eye on the road instead of looking at the camera! We were driving in Mexico! Actually, the interstates were pretty good for the most part.



This was the third consecutive Christmas I have spent away from home. I went to Mexico to visit my paternal grandmother. I hitchhiked my way there...kidding! The Camarillo's were kind enough to let me join them on that 16 hour trip to San Felipe, Guanajuato. Mr. & Mrs. Cam drove their truck as we followed close behind in Leti's car. From San Felipe, my cousin picked me up and we went to Cañada de Mena where my grandmother lives.