The Rosas-Standring Family

After such a great time in San Francisco, I am so very glad that the visit with my family has been equally as wonderful.  We miss them all so much and really wish that we could see them all more.  My kids do not have any family in Mexico so to have their cousins here and visiting for a whole month has been really great.

We have had to balance with days at the beach and at cenotes and the laguna with days in the house.  For one the taxis to do things every day just gets too expensive but also- we need to give the kids a bit of a break.  They are not used to such high temps and humidity in SF.

We went to the beach the other day and it was so very cool.  The kids all ran in to the water- except of course Akilean who will forever it seems be a land guy.  Anyway- he went off to play in the sand and about 30 minutes later came back and said "mommy, mommy, come into my space ship."  It was crazy- he had built this wonderful 3-d space ship in the sand.

There were levers and buttons, and he built a seat for me.  It was so cute, he opened my imaginary door and let me into his ship, then after carefully getting in himself proceeded with many sounds, and motions with his levers and off we flew around the beach for a while.  He flew me back to SF so we could say hi. Then we flew to Oregon so he could say hi to his cousins. 

It did not take long for all of the kids to catch onto the idea and soon there were HUGE sand ships being built with the most creative of functions and whistles.  It was great.  I have never seen such great creativity!!!!

Later in the week we looked up our names meanings on the computer- that gave a good time.  We found out that Calvin means Bald- which is funny because Calvin is anything but bald.  My niece is Dark skinned and innocent lamb which was perfect for her.  And strangely - my nephews name means Protector and his other name means protector of all mankind.

Lena loves her story about how Helena was the most beautiful woman in the world and how she was kidnapped and how her kidnapping led to the Trojan War and one of the greatest warriors from that war was Achilles.  She just loves that story!  It was  a fun afternoon.

We have been making giant soap bubbles, playing Wi, playing in the park and BBQing hot dogs.  It was been a really great trip so far. 

I took off one night and left the kids with Ruben and went out with a friend of mine.  There were some great groups playing at a new spot in town and it was a great time.  We are going to take Cesar out for a bite and some drinks on Friday.  It is his birthday and this is the first one he will have around family in over 5 years.  So that will be fun!

The kids left yesterday to go visit some family in Guanajuato for a week and then they will be back here before heading up to SF again. 

If all goes well I will be bringing my car down from the USA which is good because being here without  car is very difficult and much more expensive then it needs to be.

Anyway.  There is the update.  Lena is not feeling well so I am going to go snuggle with her on the sofa and watch movies. 

Okay.  A few weeks ago I had a life altering experience and since then I have been blessed with the very best of life.  In truth I was blessed before that but sometimes did not feel it or see it.  Unfortunately - all of this has been smacked on the face very horrible event.

A temazcal is similar to an Indian sweat lodge from the United States.  It is very amazing both physically and the release that you put your body through... but even more so for the amazing group of women that you are with.  I truly felt reborn.  I did not get home until very late- I mean like 2:30 am. It was several hours of absolutely wonderful. 

In the beginning we were all asked to write down some of our intentions, the things that we wanted to ask for and focus on.  Some of mine were...
1) Surround myself with people who genuinely love me and care about me
2) Spend more valuable time on things that worked towards my goals
3) be me and be happy and fulfilled with it

etc.  you get the idea.  Then be burned them into the fire.  The songs and chants and fire and steam and songs--- all was perfect.  When I got home then next morning I could feel Ruben looking at me.  he was not just looking at me while I slept- he was starting at me.  In awe.  A women can feel it.  I know he loves me always - but there are times when I can actually watch him remember how much.  After almost 10 years I can watch many thought go across his mind.  He was starting at me in awe and I could feel.  My transformation from the previous night had become to take a hold in my life.  It was great.

Sorry about my fleeing my blog. Life has been really crazy - good but crazy. My father was here to visit in June with my brother and his wife- sorry I have posted no pics. It was wonderful. He stayed at a hotel that they thought was very near to me. Unfortunately... it was very far away. But it was really nice,. We did a lot of hanging by the pool and just hanging out and talking.


Since then things have been going well - still very crazy but great. I took the kids zip lining and they absolutely loved it. I was very impressed with how well they did. Lena was really scared at first and did not want to go once she was up there. I told her to try it once and then she would know if she did not like it or not. She promptly went again with a huge smile on her face.

I really have had no time to do anything. Well- I have not updated any of my blogs and I have done no writing. I seem to be at quite a writing block recently. I hope that changes. I doubt it will anytime soon as I have 3 more kids staying with me and if I had no time before I have less now.

I did my first temezcal right before I went to SF- both of these and the amazing result of them are a post for another time. I have too much I want to say and not enough coffee in my at the moment.


I also made once of the very best meals of all time.  At least one of the very best that I have ever  made and I have made a bunch of really amazing dinners.  It was a really great tortilla soup.   While my family was visiting we had some at a restaurant. It was very good but  not my ideal tortilla soup so I decided to to make one.  It was perfect.  You can read how to make it on my cooking blog How to cook 1 handed.