Lucia Gets "Taken to Work"

Today is "Take Your Child to Work Day" and for the first time in it's history, OXO decided to participate. I didn't want to go overboard on this first one, so I had to pick one kid this time around and the lucky winner, who got to miss school...

...Lucia ! She decided to bring piggy along with her because Oona was also going to be there (and Oona loves pigs)

Before the formal activities of the day got started, Lucia enjoyed an art project in the OXO kitchen

And look who showed up Oona with her business pig

One of the first activities for the kids was prepping their cake balls. Very cool activity brought to you by Amy & Benat. (Note- next to Lucia is her other good buddy Amelia from school and ski trip)

After they formed their cake balls, it was time for lunch where the kids had pizza and made fortune tellers

After a yummy lunch - onto engineering where Noah walked them through the engineering process and worked with them on their very own sleep machines.

After Engineering a mini-break to finish decorating their cake pops

Next meeting was in copywriting where they had to write a story about their day which was then followed by...

...their very own step-and-repeat made by our extremely talented art department.

"Fahhncy" Girls - Amelia, Oona and Lucia

Lucia also made friends with Maddie and they had a great time coloring

Later in the day, Lucia showed me the results of the sleep machine. You can see the machine required beds, some books and some Zzzzzs.

The day ended with a kids photo shoot and a proclamation of "what I want to be when I grow up"

Apparently Lucia is ready to take the stage.

All of the OXO kids had a great time and so did I.

Well done.

At the end of the day when we were walking home, Lucia said to me "Mommy, now I see why you are so tired when you come home - that's a long day"

Finally!

MLV Spring is Coming

This year's seasons have been completely out of whack. Winter was unseasonably warm and Spring has been bi-polar, so who knows what Summer has in store for us, but today we caught a little glimpse of spring and it was magical.

Lucia couldn't resist making a wish when she found this dandelion in our balcony garden.

And Miss Valentina was ready to turn in her Winter cap for this slick Spring fedora. 

"This is what cool looks like"

Lucia's Travel Tryout

Relatively ordinary Sunday, but it was also a try-out day. Lucia has been taking soccer since she was a pre-schooler, but it has always been kiddie instruction. Last Fall she decided to do the local Recreation league and recently she decided she wanted to  try out for the travel team. Her brother's tryout was last week and today it was her turn. We aren't really sure if she is as passionate about soccer as he is, but think it will be good for her to join a team.

Lucia is dressed and ready to go. Today she means business!

While Lucia went to tryout, V and Mateo stayed in until...

...later when Mateo went to a super fun birthday party for Colin and Gavin. Video Game truck and playing in the park. Pretty nice combo!

The Return of Minnie V

Not much to report, but...

...isn't this one of the cutest Minnies you've ever seen?

El Sapo

The weekend has normalized somewhat and our plan was to have some quality time outdoors with friends and family.

First stop, the 1600 Field for Mateo's soccer game. Unfortunately, they lost, but it was nice to have Aba, Abu, Tia Raqui and Elena there to cheer him on.

After the game, we went to lunch with these two very dashing gentlemen and their suave Kangols

El Sapo Guapo

After lunch, we went to the park where Lucia and Elena see-sawed and Tia Raqui acted as a center post

And not to be left out, baby V climbed and slid and climbed some more.

Great day spent with great people

MLV Celebrate Estella's 1st Birthday

So normally we find ourselves at a piano lesson or soccer game and sometimes a friend's birthday party and today we did find ourselves at piano and yes there was a soccer game, but the birthday party wasn't for a friend it was for cousin Estella's 1st birthday. Of course on the Gonzalez side this is a very big deal so I was given "feedback" to make sure the kids were dressed nice and that their hair was combed. I didn't really need the tip as I have been to these types of parties several times, but I guess it was just in case.

As you can see, I did not disappoint. The kids are coifed, dressed, pressed and ready to party.

Even V pitched in to get the car seats to our Zipcar

And of course the "Surf's Up Minnie Mouse" theme also did not disappoint. Cousin Danny put all those balloons together basically by himself.

Surfside Cake was also very fitting for the party.

All the guests were outfitted with their own Minnie Mouse ears. Lucia was proud to wear hers since this used to be one of her favorites.

Most of the cousins came out to celebrate. 

All of the Minnies - Valentina, Lucia, Genesis and Melanie

Singing time - beautiful parents, Yolaiki and Danny help the  main Minnnie, Estella, blow out the candle

At the end of the party Valentina and Estella caught up by staring at one another awkwardly 

Valentina's favorite part of the night was the discovery of the Oreo. She savored it for the rest of the evening...which all and all was a success.

Lucia Gets an After School Surprise

What was going to be an ordinary Friday afternoon turned into a cool special surprise for Lucia. Unbeknownst to her, Alma had this week off from school and so when Navita and Valentina went to pick her up after school, Alma was also there. They don't get many play dates during the week, so she was quite excited.

After pick-up they headed over to V's favorite hangout - Urban Jungle...

...where Alma and Lucia "led" the class in a riveting Playdough course

Ben & Jerry's Free Ice Cream Day

Lot's of great things about Hoboken including our very generous Ben & Jerry's franchise which gives out free ice cream to kids on Tuesdays. Today 2 of the 3 kiddos got to partake.

Lucia and Valentina both scored a free cone

"Yummy...this is the life"

Chess Champ

It is not often that I get to go with Mateo to chess tournaments, but our combination must be good luck because most of the time he comes home with a trophy and today was no different. He got 4th place by getting 2 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw.

On our way home with his prize trophy he tried to play it cool when I told him I wanted to take a picture, but...

...he can only contain his goofiness for so long

Congrats my chess prince, I am so proud of you.

Good Night Moon and Cousin Craziness

While today was busy, as the weekend usually is, we were mixing it up a bit with some theater action and a cousin fiesta.

Our new local theater has finally opened and their first official show in the new space was Good Night Moon. This used to be one of Lucia's favorite books, so I thought she would get a kick out of the play. I wasn't quite sure how they were planning to pull it off considering the book is only about 8 pages, but they managed to stretch it and it worked.

Not a great shot of the stage, but they did a great job recreating the "Big Green Room"

Fast forward, later that day we ventured over to Aba's where there was an adhoc party to celebrate Tia Raqui and Elena being in town.

The girls were loving this cut up watermelon

And look what other cousin showed up...Baby Estella! Yah more girls!

Estella and Valentina hit it off and by hit it off I mean sat next to each other and played on their own, but next to one another. It's a start.

This doesn't represent the total cousin population, but it's a pretty good representation.

Estella, Melanie, Valentina, Lucia, Ayden and Elena.

Bet you were wondering where these guys were at.

With all of the girls running around, they holed themselves up in a room and played on the ipad.

Big-boy cousins - Antonio, Mateo and Ayden.

Little girl cousins - Valentina and Estella played in parallel.

Good Times!

Mateo - Real vs. Barca & Valentina Goes to a Bday Party

Not unusual, today was a very busy day. Our weekends are normally pretty hectic and filled with one kid event after another. On today's docket? Piano, swimming, soccer meet-up and birthday party.  Let the fun begin...

So after piano comes swimming and when swimming ended I rushed Mateo and his buddy over to a local restaurant where their soccer teammates were watching two very popular rival teams battle it out. El Classico!  Mateo was going for his favorite team Real Madrid, but many of his friends were going for Barcelona.

In a very close game Madrid won!

"GOOOOALLL!"

After the game I rushed home to drop off Mateo and pick up Valentina for a birthday party at her old play space - My GYM. When we arrived of course she was a little shy and from this picture not too into celebrating Madison's 2nd Birthday, but...

...she started to warm up a little when she started climbing...

...and sliding...

...and crossing...

...and playing in the ball pit.

Later on she was actually playing with some of her toddler pals.

"Hey Ma!"

Valentina was quite comfortable hanging with her pals Madison and her nanny and buddy, Ellie (with the cute bow)

Kid cake - where the kids surround the birthday girl and wish her a very happy bday

Randi, Madison and Dan help blow out the candles

"Mom, that was a good party after all"