End of the Year Letter 2011

This year, for the first time, I had the brilliant idea of sending out a Christmas letter with our Christmas cards.  But, between homeschooling my 5 year old, raising 2 year old twins, training for the 2012 Olympics, volunteering at the homeless shelter, and my novel, I got a bit sidetracked.*

So, here's the electronic version:

When I googled "how to write a Christmas letter," one of the key pieces of advice is: do not brag.  Obviously, the little Google elf that wrote that article does not know my husband, or how incredibly proud I am of him.  It is nearly impossible not to brag on Marcos.  This year, I have had the great privilege of being in the cheering stands as Marcos has transformed from being the guy that runs a couple of miles here and there into a full fledged triathlon machine of a man.  In September, Marcos completed his first triathlon.  

Over the summer, under the influence and tutelage of some incredible Lance Armstrong-type neighbors, Marcos began cycling.  He also ramped up his running and worked hard to improve his swimming technique.  In January, he will run a half marathon in Houston.  Marcos has become one of the top triathlete competitors in the world.  And, by "top competitor," of course, I mean "best looking".  

Marcos has also been doing a great job with his insurance agency.  This year, Marcos was chosen by Farmers to pilot an insurance program for cyclists.  He is the only one that is able to sell this type of insurance in Austin!  In December, Marcos began working part time at his Farmer's District Manager's office as part of a District Manager training program.  Please be praying for Marcos as he continues to work hard on building his agency and as he makes career decisions (aka pray that his agency will bring in enough money to get me a nanny, personal chef, maid, and personal trainer...that's all I ask!).

2011 was a year of dreams being fufilled in the casa de Esparza.  After dreaming and scheming and planning about this for a few years, I officially began homeschooling Merrick in August.  Though it has been even more challenging than I imagined, and a bit consuming at times, it is an absolute blessing.  We have visited dinosaur museums, made masterpieces out of play-doh, learned to write in chocolate jello, gone on field trips with our homeschool group, and become the least favorite people of the local library staff.    My favorite part of homeschooling is just snuggling on the couch, reading together.  Merrick is a whiz.  By January, he will have completed Kindergarten.  I have enjoyed documenting our homeschooling experience on our homeschool blog, Gettin' Skooled.  

Merrick also began taking tai kwon do lessons this year.  Last month, he won second place in his first tournament.  This month, he tested and advanced to become a yellow belt.  Secretly, I am training him to become my personal assassin.  

The twins are growing like weeds.  Scout is a fiesty little mama.  She often checks Sawyer's diaper and tells me he has a poopie (even when he doesn't).  Then, she insists on helping me change it.  Scout also got interested in dressing up like a princess this year.  It melts my heart to see her walk around in her oversized Rapunzel dress and her mommy's heels.  Scout also loves dances parties and taking every single thing out of mommy's purse when mommy's not looking.

Sawyer loves to wrestle and tackle people on tile floors when they least expect it.  He also loves trains and cars and planes and motorcycles.  Sawyer is a total mama's boy and has, on numerous occasions, asked  to have a surgical procedure to be permanently attached to my hip.  He also loves to dance.  The second he hears music, even if it is background music to a commercial, he drops whatever he was doing (or breaking), and starts galloping around the room with a huge smile.

Both the twins are adorable (and adorably frustrating!) when it comes to nap time.  Almost every day, after I put them in bed, I go upstairs to check on them and find that Sawyer has climbed out of his crib and into Scout's crib.  I love to listen to them laughing and playing together through the monitor.

As for me, I have really learned a lot this year.  I have learned not to wish away challenging times for the "next stage" in life.  I have learned that one of the great parts of being married is that when you are no longer as pretty as you once were, your husband still knows your value.  I have learned the importance of being systematic about things.  I am trying to learn that a few handprints on the wall are not the end of the world and that making memories is the most important thing.  I have enjoyed learning about woodworking this year.  I actually made this and this and will soon finish making this!  I also learned that I love to swim.  One of the highlights of my year was completing my first (hopefully not last!) open water swim this year in Austin.  Another highlight was going on my first "Girlcation" with three of my best friends in November.  

We look forward to an exciting 2012 with our friends and family.  We hope and pray to grow closer to God in the coming year, to grow in our knowledge of Him,  and to help others in their relationship with Him.  We look forward to becoming healthier and stronger and wearing smaller pant sizes (well, I do at least).  We look forward to grand adventures.  And we hope the same for you!

              Love,

*For my friends and family, you know I never let the truth get in the way of a good story.  For those of you who are friends of Marcos (and don't know me so well)...this should be fun.  :)

End of the Year Letter 2011

This year, for the first time, I had the brilliant idea of sending out a Christmas letter with our Christmas cards.  But, between homeschooling my 5 year old, raising 2 year old twins, training for the 2012 Olympics, volunteering at the homeless shelter, and my novel, I got a bit sidetracked.*

So, here's the electronic version:

When I googled "how to write a Christmas letter," one of the key pieces of advice is: do not brag.  Obviously, the little Google elf that wrote that article does not know my husband, or how incredibly proud I am of him.  It is nearly impossible not to brag on Marcos.  This year, I have had the great privilege of being in the cheering stands as Marcos has transformed from being the guy that runs a couple of miles here and there into a full fledged triathlon machine of a man.  In September, Marcos completed his first triathlon.  

Over the summer, under the influence and tutelage of some incredible Lance Armstrong-type neighbors, Marcos began cycling.  He also ramped up his running and worked hard to improve his swimming technique.  In January, he will run a half marathon in Houston.  Marcos has become one of the top triathlete competitors in the world.  And, by "top competitor," of course, I mean "best looking".  

Marcos has also been doing a great job with his insurance agency.  This year, Marcos was chosen by Farmers to pilot an insurance program for cyclists.  He is the only one that is able to sell this type of insurance in Austin!  In December, Marcos began working part time at his Farmer's District Manager's office as part of a District Manager training program.  Please be praying for Marcos as he continues to work hard on building his agency and as he makes career decisions (aka pray that his agency will bring in enough money to get me a nanny, personal chef, maid, and personal trainer...that's all I ask!).

2011 was a year of dreams being fufilled in the casa de Esparza.  After dreaming and scheming and planning about this for a few years, I officially began homeschooling Merrick in August.  Though it has been even more challenging than I imagined, and a bit consuming at times, it is an absolute blessing.  We have visited dinosaur museums, made masterpieces out of play-doh, learned to write in chocolate jello, gone on field trips with our homeschool group, and become the least favorite people of the local library staff.    My favorite part of homeschooling is just snuggling on the couch, reading together.  Merrick is a whiz.  By January, he will have completed Kindergarten.  I have enjoyed documenting our homeschooling experience on our homeschool blog, Gettin' Skooled.  

Merrick also began taking tai kwon do lessons this year.  Last month, he won second place in his first tournament.  This month, he tested and advanced to become a yellow belt.  Secretly, I am training him to become my personal assassin.  

The twins are growing like weeds.  Scout is a fiesty little mama.  She often checks Sawyer's diaper and tells me he has a poopie (even when he doesn't).  Then, she insists on helping me change it.  Scout also got interested in dressing up like a princess this year.  It melts my heart to see her walk around in her oversized Rapunzel dress and her mommy's heels.  Scout also loves dances parties and taking every single thing out of mommy's purse when mommy's not looking.

Sawyer loves to wrestle and tackle people on tile floors when they least expect it.  He also loves trains and cars and planes and motorcycles.  Sawyer is a total mama's boy and has, on numerous occasions, asked  to have a surgical procedure to be permanently attached to my hip.  He also loves to dance.  The second he hears music, even if it is background music to a commercial, he drops whatever he was doing (or breaking), and starts galloping around the room with a huge smile.

Both the twins are adorable (and adorably frustrating!) when it comes to nap time.  Almost every day, after I put them in bed, I go upstairs to check on them and find that Sawyer has climbed out of his crib and into Scout's crib.  I love to listen to them laughing and playing together through the monitor.

As for me, I have really learned a lot this year.  I have learned not to wish away challenging times for the "next stage" in life.  I have learned that one of the great parts of being married is that when you are no longer as pretty as you once were, your husband still knows your value.  I have learned the importance of being systematic about things.  I am trying to learn that a few handprints on the wall are not the end of the world and that making memories is the most important thing.  I have enjoyed learning about woodworking this year.  I actually made this and this and will soon finish making this!  I also learned that I love to swim.  One of the highlights of my year was completing my first (hopefully not last!) open water swim this year in Austin.  Another highlight was going on my first "Girlcation" with three of my best friends in November.  

We look forward to an exciting 2012 with our friends and family.  We hope and pray to grow closer to God in the coming year, to grow in our knowledge of Him,  and to help others in their relationship with Him.  We look forward to becoming healthier and stronger and wearing smaller pant sizes (well, I do at least).  We look forward to grand adventures.  And we hope the same for you!

              Love,

*For my friends and family, you know I never let the truth get in the way of a good story.  For those of you who are friends of Marcos (and don't know me so well)...this should be fun.  :)

Merrick's First Tournament

Last month, Merrick had his first Tai Kwon Do tournament.  I could not have been any more proud.  Out of the ten little karate kids in his group, he took home 2nd place!  I watched every kid as he/she competed to see how Merrick compared.  I was blown away.  Merrick was confidant, well prepared, and  his movements were so fluid.

After Merrick had received his trophy, I hugged him enthusiastically and said, "Merrick, you did it!"  He looked at me and said matter of factly, "No, I didn't win first."  Bummer!  I had to tell him a few times how great getting second place at his first tournament is.  

I love how he stepped out of line to proudly show off his trophy.

The Esparza family with their tournament champion!

Here's the video of Merrick "competing" in his tournament:

Halloween 2011 in Pictures

Halloween was awesome!!!  The entire month of October, actually, was awesome.

Here are some pics from Halloween night.  Sadly, the twins were sick.  In half of the pics I took, Scoutie Girl looks like she's coughing up a lung.  :(  But, it was supposed to be their first official year of trick-or-treating, so I couldn't keep them at home.  I ended up letting them trick or treat sown half of one street.

Scout went as Red Riding Hood.  Sawyer was the Big Bad Wolf.  I gave Scout two options: Red Riding Hood or Tinkerbell.  I thought for sure she'd choose Tinkerbell since she had just watched the movies.  But, when I showed her the pictures, she pointed vigilantly at Red and said, "Dis one!  Dis one!  Dis one!"  

One of my favorite parts of the night was how Merrick took it upon himself to show his baby brother and sister how to obtain candy from the neighbors.  He would run ahead to a house, get his candy, then come back for Scout and Sawyer and help walk them to the door (since they were a little slower than he was).

My favorite moment from Halloween night was when Merrick some-what threatened one of our neighbors.  The conversation went like this:

Neighbor (as he's passing out candy) - I like your costume!  What are you?

Merrick - A ninja.

Neighbor - Cool!  Can you show me some of your moves?

Merrick (totally serious) - No.  I might hurt you.

I about fell over laughing!

Anyway.  Here are the pics:

  

Red Riding Hood picking flowers for her Granny.

My favorite pic of the night.  What a beautiful Red.  

It was nearly impossible to get a pick of Sawyer in his Big Bad Wolf costume.  I was so thankful, however, that he loved his hat (and thankful that BabyGap just so happened to have a wolf hat out at the time!).  I anticipated him ripping it off every 5 minutes, but he didn't.

Merrick with his pumpkin.  He wanted to stage the picture this way, so that it looks like he and the pumpkin are talking. 

Merrick wanted a one eyed pumpkin.

I made a mustache pumpkin and a rainbow bundt cake.  The inside of the cake was orange and purple.  Yum!

Merrick in his ninja costume.  I actually took him with me and let him look through the costumes this year and he chose this.  It's perfect, really, since he's been so into tai kwon do.

Here's a closer picture of Sawyer's hat.

The only way I could get a pic of Scout and Sawyer together was to put a bucket of candy in front of them.

One excited ninja!  

Merrick showing Scout the ropes.  I love how his arm is around her.

This melts my heart.  I love to see my children walking together.

Does that face scream "sugar high!" or what?!?

Happy Halloween 2011!

Chocolate Chip Banana Cake

My two year old boy is a banana addict.  It's an addiction I am willing to support because every once in a while, we end up with a few extra bananas.  In the past, when those bananas got too ripe to eat, I'd bake them into some banana bread and give it to the family for breakfast (or, worse, I'd throw them into the freezer to make banana bread later and end up with twenty or thirty black frozen bananas).  

But, come on.  Let's be real.  If you're going to bake a couple of bananas into a "bread" that has sugar, flour, eggs, butter, and nuts...then, you smoother it with more butter when it comes out...you might as well take the next step and add a few chocolate chips and call it what it really is: awesome.

Don't get me wrong.  This recipe is not banana bread with chocolate chips.  Instead, it is more like the perfect cross between a chocolate chip cookie and banana cake.  

Mucho thanks goes to my best friend Angela for this recipe.  And, a big "no thank you" to that same awesome bestie for my new addiction.

Let me just say...

Now, I'll get to the actual recipe...

Chocolate Chip Banana Cake

2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 medium sized bananas, mashed
1 large egg
12 - 16 oz chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a jelly roll pan (I use a 13 x 9 inch glass pan).
Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Beat the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Beat in bananas and egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.
Spread into your pan.
Bake for 20-30 min.

{Enjoy!}

Hiiiii-chah!

My friends, the moment we knew was coming is finally here: Merrick's inner Karate Kid has awakened.  

I don't know what started this fascination with Karate.  And I don't know who first started all the "hi-yahing" and prancing around, Marcos or Merrick.  All I know is the spirit of Jackie Chan has taken over my house.  Even the twins get into the karate action.

For his first lesson, the thing Merrick was most excited about was getting his little white karate outfit (ok, he's officially taking tai-kwon-do, but for future reference, I'm just going to call everything martial-artsie "karate"...it's just easier).  He was ecstatic.  Marcos helped him put on his outfit right before class, all the while encouraging him to work hard and do his best (and have fun, of course).  I'm so thankful my children have such a wonderful daddy.  

Once the class started, Merrick was incredibly intense and enthusiastic.  You can tell he's taking the lessons because he wants to and not because his parents want him to.  My favorite part is how he kept saluting the teacher and saying, "Yes Sir!" really, really loudly as if he had just enlisted in the Army.

In his first class, Merrick got a green stripe on his belt for doing the punches well.  After about 4 more stripes like that, he becomes a Tiger Cub Yellow Belt.

Here are a few pics from Merrick's first official Tai-Kwon-Do lesson.  I'm probably spelling that completely wrong.  The martial arts world is a complete mystery to me.  All I know is that Jack Black is the Dragon Warrior and that Mr. Miyagi is the man.  

This was right after the class:

How does he even come up with these moves?

Hi-cha! (Yes, he says hi-cha a lot instead of hi-yah.)

This was the following week in front of the house.

Jackie Chan, eat your heart out.

Our First Family Play!

A few weeks ago, Mama and I got to take the kids to see their first play.  Since Marcos and I met as Theater majors in college, this was a very special day for me.  Naturally, I assume that the kiddos have theater in their blood, and I couldn't wait to see how they would fall in love with the stage like their daddy and I did when we were little.

Since we are such huge Tangled fans here, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to take the kiddos to see Rapunzel.  Of course, it was nothing like the movie.  It actually stuck closer to the original story, which I had completely forgotten until I saw it acted out.  Later, Merrick said, "Mommy, I think that was Tangled 2."

My mama is the best mom and grandmother in the entire world.  I am so grateful that she lives nearby and can go to me with special events like this.  I love that she is going to be in so many of the kids' childhood memories.

We dressed Scoutie Girl in her Rapunzel dress (pajamas actually...shhh....don't tell!) to see the play.  She's only two and she already loves to dress up.  I definitely see a closet full of princess dresses in our future.

The twins and I went down to the stage to check things out before the show started.

I was incredibly surprised that the kids paid attention during the entire show.  Typically, when we see a movie, I am chasing them all over the theater.  Not the case here.

Dee lovin' up on Merrick.  :)

Woo-hoo!  What a great family field trip.  I can't wait to take them to their next show.  After the show, my mom was already talking about taking them to auditions.  Once a stage mother, always a stage mother, I guess.  

Avia Triathlon 2011

I could not be more proud of my husband today.  Today, he completed his first sprint triathlon.  A few months ago, he completed Austin's Capitol Texas First Tri.  It is a triathlon for first timers, so the distance is just a bit shorter.  In today triathlon, he swam 700 meters, rode approximately 16 miles on his bike, then ran a 5K (a little more than 3 miles).

My mom watched the twins so that I could more easily navigate the spectator sport with Merrick.  Here are a couple of pics from the big race:

Daddy and Merrick before the race begins

I love this pic.  Out of his entire age group, Marcos was the only one that turned around and waved to his family.  I love how aware of us he was.  I know it made him so proud to have his son and wife see him accomplish something so great.  If you watch the video (below), you'll see him wave to us again as he gets in to the water.  It melts my heart.

Merrick was so funny.  As soon as Marcos got into the water, Merrick turned to me and said, "Mommy, can we go home now?"  :)  We made the sign above several days prior.  On the right side of the word Daddy (which Merrick traced), Merrick insisted that I draw a picture of our entire family.  The stick figure of Merrick (yes, I'm an awesome stick figure artist) has a mo-hawk and is giving a karate kick.  He loved that.

It was awesome watching the race take place with downtown Austin as the backdrop.  And, what a beautiful day!  The temp was in the low 90's, which was a miracle considering we've had record breaking triple digit weather up until this very day.

While we were waiting to see Marcos ride by on his bike, Merrick sat on the bridge and held on to the rail.  At one point he said, "Mommy, this is my favorite part."  (We often ask him at the dinner table what his favorite part of the day was.)  :)

Sadly, we missed seeing Marcos ride his bike.  I thought I saw him...several times.  I yelled, "Gooooo Marcos!!!!" really, really loudly as this one dude rode by.  I even videotaped him.  It wasn't until we got home and I showed Marcos the video of him that he said, "That's not me."  

Here's a picture of the warrior man and his very proud family.

Marcos was very blessed to have Corbin, a great friend and neighbor, as a training buddy over the summer.  I love this pic of them.  They are both on top of the world with the greatest city in the world behind them.

I am so very proud of Marcos.  I am not just proud of the fact that he completed the triathlon, but also for how he went about training for it.  He was up almost every morning this summer at 5:45am to get into the lake for a swim or to go for a ride/run.  He is so disciplined and focused.  He is such an inspiration. 

After Marcos got home that afternoon and took a shower, he went out to help with the wildfire that has burned down many houses nearby.  He has been so concerned about the families affected by the fires.  

Am I married to a hero or what?!?