Fathers

I meant to do a post on Fathers Day and I know it was a couple of weeks ago...I'm a tiny bit late... : (
That weekend we went to Shanghai and even though I had already written some posts, I couldn't really do anything... Internet in China is almost illegal... well not really, but with all the bans and the control the Government has, it made it very difficult to impossible for us to connect.
We had a great time there, even though we got hit with a serious case of the "mi-cheoss-oh's"... that made me go a little crazy myself... I will tell you more on this trip on a post soon.

So, for Fathers Day, my Mom had an activity at Church and I sent a message for my Stepdad... To think... emotional things come so easy to me when is written. I don't think I could say all these things up front, I'm actually pretty shy at showing my emotions. I'm sorry, I can not say I love you to everybody, just like that. I admire people that do. For some reason, even though I do love soooo many people, it just doesn't come so easy to me. I tell my little ones how much I love them every second I get a chance, hoping they don't come out like me... let's see how that goes... : )

The Fathers of my life... I love you guys....

Guito....

I am sooo grateful and happy that I grew up with a guy like this. He is one of the most humble guys you could ever meet, one of the nicest human beings. I am so glad that he is part of my family and I am so grateful for him having made my Mom so happy all these years. I love you Dude!


The Bro...

I have an amazing, caring and loving brother who is one of the best Dads I know. He has been a great influence in my life, and I am so proud of having him as a brother. He is one of the most giving and selfless guys I know, and love him sooo very much.

And who else... THE BEST Dad in the whole wide world, my love S.

What a blessing it has been having you in my life. I could not express with words the amount of love I have for you. You give so much and ask so little.... how did I become this lucky! I am a better person because of you and I thank God each day for allowing us to cross paths. Magic... Dreams do come true!

Even though is late.. I hope you all had a great Fathers Day... : )

xoxo
T.

Mother's Day...

The first time I found out I was gonna be a Mom, I was terrified. It was quite unexpected & during a stressful time in our lives. I also had what I guess are common concerns, as wondering if I would be a good Mom, if I was too young, etc..I mean, something that requires such commitment and dedication... Motherhood is not for everybody I thought. Yes, terrified!

Thinking, thinking, talking, talking, talking about it...
I had a great role model, I had good values, my partner was a great man and we were great together...Why not? I could do this...

On my 12th week appointment, we found out the heartbeat we once heard, had stopped...
I did not know just how much I loved this little thing until then.

I asked and asked, over and over and over; "Pleeeease, check again!", "What did I do wrong?", "Why?"... My last question; "are you 100% sure?". When he said yes. I felt as if my world crumbled. My heart dropped, my knees got weak and I cried like NEVER before. He asked if I wanted to do a test to find out what went wrong, and I said no. What's the point. It was gone, a test is not gonna make me feel any better or less sad. I was sure I knew exactly what went wrong.... Me!
I thought of myself as the worst kind of Mom...One that doubted herself so much that made her kid die. : (

I had the D&C the day after. I cried for a week straight, then I stopped. I did some research, I talked to some friends that had gone through the same thing. I realized it was not my fault! Miscarriages are actually very common and it happens to 25% of all pregnancies. People just don't talk much about it.

From then the baby seed was in my head & I promised myself that if I ever become a Mother, I would try to be the best I could.

Marky came two years after! This time I was confident & loved him from the first + + : )

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I now feel so blessed & grateful to have two beautiful kids, whom I adore. My life is definitely different than what it used to be. At the same time it is so, so, soooo much better! You become all those cliches you hated when you were not a parent. You enter this wonderful new world, of infinite, unconditional and the purest of loves. A world you did not know existed & you would NOT understand until you become one yourself. No other love compares as it IS the greatest of loves.

Being a Mother is just about the hardest job, but also the most gratifying one. When one day (which happens to be a Mother's Day) you wake up, and your 3 year old is standing next to your bed staring at you and says; "Good morning guys! First of all let me tell you, I love you Mommy".... priceless....

It's all worth it! : )

I don't know if I am the best Mother, but I try my very hardest to be a good one.
I had the best example and it's funny how I find myself saying things to Markus that my Mom said to me! I miss & love you Carmen Garcia. You were the best Mom I could have had. Thank you for raising me the way you did, your sacrifices and your infinite love. I now know & understand. And I only strive to be 1/4 of the Mom you were to me.

Happy Mother's Day!!!

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People say Mother's day should be celebrated every day. I don't agree. I like it just the way it is. I enjoy having that one special day to celebrate Motherhood. It's nice to look back and remember all the things you've gone through that led you to the place you are now. 

As for my day, It was great! Thank you Sean, for making it a very special one. I love you and I couldn't be the Mother I am without your unconditional support!

I surely will look up this post in the future (when my kids are bratty teenagers...lol) to remember the good old days, and how great & special this day was to me. 

I love you Mom! 

xoxo T. 

Happy Mother's Day to everybody! 

Love & enjoy your kids as much as you can before they grow up! Time goes by fast & it won't wait for anyone.

PS.... Now if I could only have my old body back... Life isn't perfect, but how boring would it be if it was! New goal! hehehe... 

Happy Lunar New Year (Seollal)!!!

This past weekend was Seollal (1st of January in Lunar calendar). I think the most important & celebrated holiday in Korea. This New Year fell on January 23 of the regular calendar. Seollal is big family holiday. They go visit their families & some dress up with the traditional hanbok. I think is also a big gift giving day.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everybody!
We didn't do anything special. We just watched the current Korean Drama we're on. We stopped it ten minutes before midnight, turned TV on MBC, and watch the countdown. Nothing special, It was over so fast.




Did some "Skyping", with my siblings & Mom, a friend from college... "Yeayyy for all of this". Don't get to Skype with my Mom to often, since there's no Wi-Fi where she lives. (country side, think rain forest).




I haven't had time to do any posts lately, but I will do some this week. Markus started preschool Yesterday & Olivia has been waking up every two hours again... grrppp....

first day at school in Korea

She must be going trough a growth spurt. I am exhausted.
Sean takes care of Marky on mornings, (I do Olivia all night) but now days, I have to wake early too.  Make Oatmeal, Olivia feed, dress Markus, her, 20,000 layers.... myself, like a crazy lady, since I'm already late, walk him to school (at the 2 year old pace) drop him off, wonder around for two hours (the first week), come back, deal with "sir-cries-a-lot", feed him lunch, Olivia feed, a little argument for Marky to go to nap, Olivia nap, start dinner, Markus finally on a nap, She wakes up, feed, Marky up, feed him & so goes on..... I feel I'm always hungry & never have time to eat, only on weekends when Sean's around.....
The worst part is the two hours I have to wait for him. It's not enough time to do anything. If I walk back home, by the time I'm here, I have to go back. If I walk to Shinsegae (mall), same thing. If I take a cab there, because of traffic, by the time I'm there I have to come back again. I have to just sit at a cafe, I guess is the best option with this cold weather, but I feel is such a waste of time. I guess I should enjoy my two hours of quiet, but I'll be honest, I miss his loud voice, always singing, always whining, always telling me no, for everything. Well that's him, and I love him. : )
I'm sure next week will be easier. Looking forward to it!

xoxo

Our 1st Christmas here!

This was our first Christmas Here. It was different from other years, but in many ways the same.
Yes, we didn't get to eat my traditional food, made by my beautiful abuela, have any coquito.  We didn't get to go to one of the many party's there's just about anyplace you go... for sure, nothing like Christmas in PR!!!
Even though there are lights and decorations around, (which do give you a Holiday-ish kinda feeling), people here don't feel very festive at all.  Sean's cousin told me that for Koreans, Christmas, is more for couples.  New Year and Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) is when family gathers together.
On Chuseok; http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=811650

Christmas in Korea

All I saw was people just buying cakes. I think cake giving must be a must. There was an insane amount of cake boxes outside the bakery by our house. Imagine, if I was allowed to sell my cakes here!!!! Cakes here are really pretty, but mine taste 1,000 times better than any I've tried... and it's been a lot : ( ....

Digo yo, modestia aparte.... : )

Too bad I'm not allowed... : (

If Christmas is supposed to be a day where you are surrounded by your loved ones, kids laughter & good food.  I had it all.
I called my Mom very early on her morning, so was happy about that. Got to say hi to my sister in law and my nieces.  And even tough I did miss my family back home, I was surrounded by loved ones, my husband & my very own kids. Olivia even gave me her first giggle.



No one in the world is Merrier than my Markus, who sings and sings Jingle bells, over & over & over again some more.

The day is HERE!!!!

milk & cookies for Santa

Santa's here

Her first coat!

I actually feel I got some special extras. We had for once a semi-white Christmas, (since it snowed the night before). Olivia & I got to do a little girl time, while Marky & Sean got into their first snowball fight, (even if it was just the little bit of snow left piled up in the corners), the kid loved it... he loves "the wintering" (as he calls it).

And the food, well, we had Chinese dumplings for dinner.  Not very traditional for sure, but was very, very good. 

steamed pork dumplings

                            

Ending our day at a Chinese restaurant makes me feel like we had our own"A Christmas Story" moment...  minus the duck. 


          

Something I really wanted to do, was go to Church. I don't consider myself very religious, but I grew up believing in God & I want my kids to grow up having a Christian base. I didn't get to go though, I have yet to find a English service one. I know there are, just have to find them.  

Since I am from PR, and the party goes on for us until Three Kings Day on January 6. I'm keeping my festive mood & my tree until then. Also we will not stay this Holiday season without having some PR food. After some sofrito, I made an asopao'/ sancocho. The only thing I couldn't find is malanga or platanos, but the rest they have.  So that's what we're having today!

to make sofrito

missing half the ingredients but it'll have to do...

sofrito

http://www.elboricua.com/sofrito.html

My Mami & Abuela will be proud! 

sancocho

sancocho

Taraaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!

Perfect for the cold weather! 

Off for Christmas

Hello!
With Christmas week being here and all, I find myself super busy.  I started doing my end of the year cleaning. I do it at least 4-5 times a year, where I just start trowing useless things away (like McD's kids meals toys, accumulated receipts, old magazines)... etc.  Amazing how much sheise you can pile up in 8 months!
For some reason I have in stuck in my head, (don't really know where I got it from), that if you end the year with clutter, you will have a cluttered & messy year.  This is with my house & myself, and now with the kids too, hair, nails... all done.
Also if  3 toys are joining our family this year, we have to say goodbye to 4. Imagine if I keep piling them up, not happening.
In PR I would find someone to give it too, but here I don't know what to do with it. I have a to give away box, but It's getting bigger and bigger by the day, so I don't think I will be bringing this back to PR with me next time I go. What to do...

To do list; find something similar to salvation army...

This week I'll be a little lazy on my posts, since is THAT time of the year.  If I find some time to come and do a post I will.  I have some really great ones from this weekend. We went to Nami Island, (beautiful) & a ski resort, where we had THE best time, THE best food & I took THE best pictures!
But I need to upload all the pictures & organize it, so I can do a nice post.
Hopefully I will post it sometime this week, but If not, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays.... Merry Everything!

xoxo
Tania : )

Merry everything!

Today I decided to send out Christmas cards.  I've never wanted to do a professional shoot or fancy cards, even though I love to see them when I get them from others.  For some reason, I find myself feeling silly having someone take a picture of me. For Markus I never did one either, cause I really just don't like the posed pictures, I prefer them taken when he is just being himself  and of actual events and real moments.
 Lately I've been thinking of getting one done for us, because since I had Olivia I realized how big Markus is & how fast time goes by.  I thought It would be nice if we have something to frame and keep around. At the rate kids grow up, they'll be in College before we know it and all we'll have would be pictures and memories.
I'll do some homework and try to find someone to do one for us.
We should add some wedding pictures to the pack, since we got married at the City Hall in San Juan and the one picture we have, has a chalkboard as a background with a crime scene sketched on it.... LOL..... tooo funny.... But this year  again it's just me and my wonderful IPhone... What will I  do without it! Thank you Steve Jobs...

And the winner is.....

Happy Holidays From "La Familia" O'Neill...

May you have a Very Merry Every<3thing...  : )

xoxo, 

T. 

It feels like Christmas!

Good Morning!
Today It feels like Christmas. I woke up to some coffe made by my husband & he had really nice music on. As I'm having my coffe and eating my breakfast, I look out the window and It was Snowing!!! So pretty. It was just some random, really big snow flakes.
Coming from an Tropical Island, these are things I appreciate. Although I highly doubt anyone dislikes the first snow fall of the season. : ) It was so, so very pretty.  The wind was blowing, so they were flying everywhere  I jumped off my seat and ran to the window, Marky followed... He was sooo happy. He said; "It's Christmas Mommy"...
He wanted to go outside to make a snow man.... poor thing. He doesn't know, that is the hardest thing, that as soon as you touch it your hands are in so much pain from being so cold.... I know I learned my lesson.
It was with Sean that I saw snow for the first time  & I loved every second of it...

 "Oh, the places you'll go"...

Ohhh, how I love this Man <3

All these 8 years ago...

Markus' first time... 

2010, so small!

This morning, Christmas love <3

A priceless moment... now where is that Master Card!?!?! 

We gotta go Christmas Shopping!!!!

xoxo

Lotte World

One of the first things we did here, was take Markus to Lotte World.  Lotte World is a small theme park in Jamsil, Seoul.  I would like to go back there sometime during the evening or night, since the park turns into a fairy-tale like place where the rides & buildings are illuminated with LED lights. I know Markus would just LOOOOVE it.  We were not to lucky the day we went. I was 5 or 6 months pregnant & we went there when it was a busy, busy park since, we happened to go during Children's Day. Children's Day is a national holiday in Korea celebrated on May 5. On this day parents are to indulge their kids with gifts, taking them to parks, movies, to the zoo or just do about anything that will make a kid happy... (pretty cute) : )

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Lotte World

Here me trying to hide my belly with "blankie"... They don't let preggo's on rides.  Don't worry, it was far from dangerous. 

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mixed kids, mixed boy, kids, Seoul, Korea, Lotte world, 

The only ride he could go in.  It was so busy, lines were 1-2 hours long. To get in this one we did almost two. 

We paid from around $80-90 to get in.  We were there for like 4 hours & only did one ride. Markus was very upset cause he could't go in the Choo-choo"...  So we ended the day with a chocolate Ice cream cone. And he ended the day happy after all, Markus & the kid that still lives on his Mamma.... ahhhh (sigh) Ice Cream, just fixes it all : )...  except my figure.

xoxo, 

T. : )