Elisa...creating memories

A paintbrush and bubbles

2012-01-31T06:03:00.000-06:00

Beli was feeling under the weather this weekend. She complained of tummy ache, headache, her nose and mouth hurt as well. Hubby and I split our work day and we managed to keep her at home. During these times is when the guilt of working full time sets in for both hubby and I. How wonderful it would be to have Grandma near. Soon....very soon.

We had a warm day so I urged her to get some sunshine.

I brought out water and bubbles and the rest was up to her. She grabbed a paintbrush and decided to paint with bubbles.

In the afternoon we visited the pediatrician. Beli did great until they poked her finger.

Then she stated that she didn't like doctors anymore.

My sweet girl.

All the exams (flu, strep, bacterial ) came back negative.

Not much we can do other than lots of love and attention.

A visit to West Texas

2012-01-29T14:28:00.000-06:00

Last week my grandpa turned 79 years old. I could not miss the opportunity to visit him.

My Mom traveled via train to Colorado from Iowa then together the three of us flew to Texas.

By now, Beli is a pro at flying. She sat on her chair, buckled up and began reading the in-flight magazine!

Beli was so happy to see her cousin

and Abuelito.

Las cuatro generaciones~ four generations.

It doesn't matter if it's months or a year, Beli and Great-Grandmother pickup right where they left off. They have so much fun together. It's so good to be around family!

My uncle prepared asado for my grandpa's birthday and my aunt made home-made tortillas.

Abuelito, joining us for the party!

The weekend went by so quick. In March my Mom is planning another trip to Texas, I'm sure I will tagging along!

This moment~ in January

2012-01-16T23:55:00.000-06:00

-captured a beautiful sunrise at 7am.

-admiring the pretty plant picked by Beli on our last grocery shopping trip

-Beli cheered on the Broncos and Tim Tebow, sadly they lost against the New England Patriots

-enjoyed a slice(s) of my favorite French-Croatian lemon cake

-prepared chicken and edamame beans for Hubby and Beli

-Christmas tree continues to proudly stand in our living room

-Dora everywhere

-Beli's creative corner

-An afternoon at the aquarium

~It's already mid-January

can you believe it?

Baked Eggplant with garlic and basil

2012-01-11T07:50:00.001-06:00

Many months ago I discovered a new and delicious way to prepare eggplant. It's in the elegant fan shape, a recipe I found here. (if you scroll to the bottom of the page, you will find the english version) It's easy to prepare and healthy because it's baked not fried! Before, I was a bit apprehensive about cooking with an eggplant, the only way I knew how to prepare it was fried, and you know how much oil it can soak up! But this recipe is super easy to make and doesn't require much time, and the aroma of the basil is amazing!

Fresh basil from my 'garden'

1 eggplant

3 large tomatoes cut in half then sliced thin

300gm of feta crumbled

3 garlic cloves finely chopped

cup of parsley

olive oil

basil (best if fresh but can also use dry)

salt

Wash the eggplant, dry and cut slices as thin as you can but make sure the cut slices are attached to the top,

salt in between slices and let rest for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes drain water (won't be much) then oil all slices and stuff in between slices with all the ingredients as much as you can.

Bake at 350F for about 45-60 minutes (baking time depends on size of eggplant)

are you an eggplant fan?

Cocina Latina~ Latin Cuisine

2012-01-09T07:03:00.000-06:00

When my sister and I traveled to New York last month, our friend Nando treated us to a fun group dinner at a Latin restaurant: Yerba Buena.

Service was beyond attentive and the food was amazing.

We began with picada (yucca, tostones, chorizo, chicharron and spicy rocoto salsa) and guacamole.

Ensalada Yerbabuena ( jicama, avocado, tomato, orange, yerbabuena, and citrus vinaigrette)

For entrees we all shared: Moqueca, Costilla, Arroz con pollo, and Tacos de pescado.

For dessert we also shared: Churros sprinkled with cinnamon and a chocolate dipping sauce, Flan and pastel Tres Leches.

Would I recommend this place? yes!

Will I go back? yes

Thanks again Nando for planning the whole trip and introducing us to an amazing group of friends.

and German we wouldn't have captured the weekend without your photography. Gracias!

(Today I went grocery shopping with Beli and I found jicama on sale! I'm thinking of preparing that same salad, although I can't guarantee the presentation will be as nice but I can give it a try.)

The snowflakes

2012-01-08T08:31:00.000-06:00

"Beli do you want to go collect rocks and leaves to make a project?" I asked.

A big enthusiastic yes came from her room.

We had just finished our rest time (a quiet time to recharge our bodies) and all the curtains were closed in our home. I walked to the front door and surprised by the weather I cried, " It's snowing!" (the weather forecast said snow, but all morning the sun was shining!)

Alright, change of plans.

"Beli, do you want to go and catch snowflakes?"

Another big yes came from her room.

Can you see the snowflakes?

and we found some rocks and leaves after all.

Avocados and Mangos~ it's what's for lunch

2012-01-04T08:14:00.001-06:00

Remember the recipe for Mediterranean avocado and mango salad? well today I came across this salad via kitchencorners (you should stop by and visit, her current project is 31 days of salad!) Avocados are on sale at the grocery store, I have a few jalapenos from my parents' garden, and now... off to buy some mangos!

What are you having for lunch?

A road trip to see Ice Castles

2012-01-02T00:09:00.000-06:00

Our last road trip of 2011. Hope 2012 brings more travel and sight-seeing.

Beli had much fun walking through the tunnels and admiring the high arches. You can find more info about the project here.

It was meant to be about an hour drive to Silverthorne, CO but with high winds it took us over two hours.

Isn't it a winter wonderland?

We met one of the artists and he urged us to return after sunset to see for ourselves how different the view was at night. And that's what we did. We had a nice lunch, then returned to see the illuminated ice formations.

It looks like someone put powdered sugar. (giggling)

Un año mas~ Another year

2011-12-31T21:54:00.000-06:00

2011 was a year of work. (for which I'm grateful)

Will 2012 be different?

probably not.

You see,

living abroad changed us. I think for the best.

we want to live debt free

we want to buy our first home

and pay it off

and we want to travel

and see the world

debt free.

What are your New Year's Resolutions?

A weekend getaway with my sister~ en Nueva York

2011-12-25T09:03:00.000-06:00

My friend Nando had the whole weekend planned for us. I would fly in on Thursday from Denver and my older sister would fly in on Friday from Iowa. Here is our itinerary. (Little did I know I would refer to it several times a day!)

Thursday: Dec 15th
2:14 - 3pm Kiki (that's me!) arrives at apartment freshen up and get ready for the night
4pm ---??? Ogilvy's Party

Friday: Dec16th
8am--9:30am le pain quotidian

10-11am Kiki and German back to apt to meet Cris11:30 AM - Cris arrives in NYC aiport
11:30 - 12:30 Cris gets to apartment
1-2 (quick lunch)
2-3 train to Rockefeller Center
3:30 - 5pm- Rockefeller Center & walk down 5th Avenue (tree : photos) (I will meet you guys here)
5-8:00pm: happy hour celebration
8:30pm - dinner with Marie

10pm dancing!!

Sat: Dec 17th
9AM extra surprise for Cris & Kiki! (we leave the house)
10:30 - 12noon (lunch/get ready for the day) back at house
12:30 - train to the city (This is a must!!!) we cannot be LATE!
2-4pm-SURPRISE
4:30-5:30pm (Photo shoot in city)
6-8pm (shopping)
8-9pm dinner & drinks
9-? Walking around taking it all in

Sun: Dec 18th
(exchange letter & favorite memory)
5-5:30AM Celebrate KIKI
5:30 - 6AM Celebrate CRIS
6-6:30AM Celebrate Nando
6:30-7AM- Celebrate German

Kiki leaves @ 6:30AM to be at airport by 8:30 AM

I can't tell you how much fun it was to get away from work and the daily routine. (Of course I missed Beli, but I also needed some ME time)

I didn't care about the little sleep I would get. I was going to New York!

my dear friend and very talented photographer, German.

Irish Hunger Memorial Garden

She is here!

Hey Sis! Get ready to laugh and celebrate.

Have a Feliz Navidad!

Photos taken by German..Isn't he talented? I really felt like a star!

And wait till I tell you about the surprises and the wonderful people we met! But that's another post of it's own. (don't want to overwhelm you) hehe..

Breakfast in the City~ yellow cabs

2011-12-21T07:55:00.000-06:00

Remember the post I wrote about sisters? Well I finally did it, I went to New York! After 5 years, my older sister and I met up in New York City. I arrived on Thursday and first thing I did was...you got it..went to my favorite place for breakfast, Le Pain Quotidien.

I ordered the breakfast special, mushroom kale and parmesean frittata. It was scrumptious!

Belgian waffles,,,ummm the best!

The whole weekend was full of fun, exciting and memorable moments that I can't just write one post, so consider this part one of my trip....Stay tuned!

Central Park

Winter fun activities~cupcakes, crafts, and the tree

2011-12-15T11:23:00.003-06:00

A few days ago we had really cold weather and I was lucky to have a day off from work, so Beli and I stayed at home and had a party.

Just the two of us.

We made crafts~ (I love hobby lobby),

then baked cupcakes

and finally

we decorated the Christmas tree.

I love days like these!

Denver Lights

2011-12-11T16:03:00.000-06:00

Downtown Denver

looking for Santa

and reindeers

State Capitol building at night

There goes Santa!

Afterwards, we drove to the Pepsi Center to watch Disney on Ice, featuring Toy Story 3.

Beli's favorite part was when Minnie and Mickey made an appearance.

A fun filled Saturday evening.

How was your weekend?

~ Sunday Reflection

2011-12-04T09:14:00.000-06:00

photo from my December archives
.
.

"Aprovecha este dia! Porque el ayer no es mas que un sueno y el manana es solo una vision.

Pero si vives bien hoy haras que el ayer sea un sueno feliz

y el manana una vision de esperanza."

(Poema hindú)

Winter fun with Fondue

2011-12-02T00:59:00.001-06:00

Last night we celebrated hubby's birthday at the Melting Pot. We arrived and were greeted by a friendly staff. The decor was superb and the dinner experience unique and fun.

We began our four-course dinner with the traditional swiss cheese fondue ( Gruyère and Emmenthaler Swiss cheeses with white wine, garlic, nutmeg, lemon and Kirschwasse) Beli didn't care for it so our server offered to bring a separate dish for her! Now I call that a kid-friendly restaurant!

Our main entree arrived. I chose the vegetable broth to cook my seafood trio and hubby chose the shrimp and sirloin also in vegetable broth and enhanced with a Caribbean- inspired bouillon, fresh garlic and citrus flavors. It was a total hit with Beli.

And then, the fourth course arrived, and to dip into our Ying-Yang chocolate fondue: fresh strawberries, bananas, cheesecake, marshmallows, pound cake, rice krispies, and brownies!

A memorable dining experience. Food was great. Beli took the birthday balloons home.

If you haven't tried a fondue restaurant, I highly recommend it!

Hello December

2011-12-01T13:06:00.000-06:00

Back from Iowa, now back to our routine.

Last November sunrise

2011-11-30T17:46:00.000-06:00

photo taken at 6:30am on our way to Iowa.

Are you ready for December madness?? (the shopping, the traveling, the eating)

I am!

A ladder in the Adriatic Sea

2011-11-15T10:18:00.000-06:00

my friend in Croatia shared this photo with me and

today a blogger friend also posted a similar photo here.

who is the artist?

How would you interpret this photo?

Rescued Horses

2011-11-09T20:47:00.000-06:00

Meet "diablo' a beautiful racehorse recovering from a knee injury at the rescue center

this is Spencer

rescued chickens that arrived as little chicks after Easter was over (when parents realized they had no idea what to do with chicks in their backyard!)

As you may already have guessed, I love horses.

This past weekend I went to an orientation class to volunteer at the Friends of Horses Rescue and Adoption center. I will be around horses (yes mainly cleaning manure, feeding them) but this is what I like doing, just being around these magnificent creatures is enough for me. After speaking to the owner, I'm considering leasing a horse, at least for a couple of months, before I can decide if adopting a horse is the responsible thing to do. I mean, not only is there the financial part but you also have to bond with your horse, and this is only possible by spending time with them. It's a big commitment!

Sunday's best~

2011-11-06T22:30:00.000-06:00

an afternoon nap, autumn sunshine, shoe shopping and an art collage

how was your weekend?

another autumn day

2011-11-02T00:23:00.000-05:00

waiting for her friend.

had a great weekend. made crepes for a potluck and they were a total hit!

carved pumpkins and our little neighbors (the squirrels) ate the owl's eye, nose and mouth. oh well, it's no longer Halloween right?

how is your week going?

It started snowing today. I went shopping for rubber boots and working gloves. One of my childhood dreams may come true! Yes! I may own a horse soon. (details soon)

Version 2.0 of ~ it's gone UP the nose

2011-10-30T18:46:00.000-05:00

So you've heard plenty of stories about how children put objects up their nose. Well this weekend it happened to us. AGAIN. You remember the story about the missing corn kernel? Unfortunately we can't blame the chicken this time.

This time it was play-doh. why play-doh?

I was still sleeping and hubby was in the kitchen preparing breakfast when Beli started crying that her nose was hurting. Having previous experience, hubby grabbed the tweezers and a flashlight and asked Beli to blow out, not in. Beli thought she needed to go outside so she walked to the door and hubby asked, "why are you going outside?" Beli replies, "to blow out."

This is when I wake up and I'm hearing cries from Beli that her nose hurts. So when the blowing out technique doesn't work, we tell her we are taking her to the doctor...she continues to cry.

Then I tell hubby, "I'm sure other kids have done this before." So I go to the internet and I find a blog post titled, " nose goodies." As I'm reading the article, I find a comment from a reader that shares her own experience of her kid going to the ER for putting a bead in her nose. She writes that the ER Dr. advised her to cover the non affected nostril and blow through the kid's mouth. I'm reading it aloud and hubby says, "lets do that."

We tried it and nothing happened. so we tried again. Nothing. then I hold Beli in my arms to comfort her and I feel a gooey wet drop on my arm. It was the play-doh! Needless to say, we didn't have to go to the hospital.

Afterwards we asked Beli what Daddy do to get the play-doh out of her nose and she replied, " he gave me kisses."

Did you ever put foreign objects in your nose as a kid?

Dinner in Mesa Verde~or should I say part three of our roadtrip

2011-10-28T12:47:00.000-05:00

Sorry about the delay, but here are the final pictures of our trip we took during Labor Day (over a month ago)!

After breakfast in Ouray (part one of our road trip) and lunch in Telluride (part two), we continued driving southwest to the town of Cortez to conclude our road trip.

We arrived at the Mesa Verde National Park, late afternoon on Saturday. We still had several hours of daylight but not enough time to see all the ruins, which was a shame because I would have liked to take a guided tour but time was running out and we still had to drive back to Denver.... that night. (yes call us crazy!) So instead of seeing the cliff dwellings up close, we saw them from a distance.

Still, pretty impressive right?

On the eve of the 25th....of October

2011-10-26T12:42:00.001-05:00

it snowed!

and while I'm baking hundreds ( ok, more like 50 or 60) mini cupcakes for Beli's fall festival at school

she is practicing her own photo taking skills.

Trilingual no more~ a year later

2011-10-25T10:38:00.000-05:00

The last progress update I did on Beli was when she was 2.5 years old.
Wow.....Many, many changes since then.

Language:

at 2.5 years old, Beli was proficient in speaking Spanish and Croatian. During the 19 months we lived in Croatia, Beli's exposure to the English language was minimal. Hubby and I discussed if one of us should also speak English to her but then decided we shouldn't. After all, sooner or later we would move back to the States.

Then it happened....

The transition:
We began our transition to the States when we moved to Iowa on December 2010. We lived with my parents for 4 months. Both my parents and I continued speaking Spanish to Beli. She would also repeat what her cousins said in English, having no idea what she was saying. And now, Ingles is all she speaks!

You can say my adventures of raising a trilingual toddler came to a screeching halt when we moved back to Colorado. I guess it makes sense, she spends an average of 8 hours a day with English speaking caregivers. Hubby and I work full time. My family is 12 hours away. Can you blame the kid?

Still.
I feel terrible.
Somehow I think I'm letting her down.
Like I 'm denying her roots.
I also blame hubby for not putting more effort in speaking Croatian at home.
I also blame myself. I should be doing more.
BUT
I'm also,so so proud of Beli.

In less than one year she has learned the English language. She expresses herself very well. She continues to be very independent.

Our conversation at home goes something like this:

Daddy: " Beli let's go have breakfast."
Beli: " I want TV."
Me: " Beli andale vamos a comer."
Beli: " I want to watch TV."
Daddy: " we are going to school now, so let's have breakfast."
Beli: " NO!"
Me: "Beli, listen to daddy, vamos a comer."
Hubby: " Beli, come on."
Beli: " don't talk to me DADDY!"
Me: "Beli, don't yell at daddy."
Beli: " I'M NOT!"

What more can I do? Wish I had more time at home, but Not working is out of the question. So in the meantime, because that still worries me, I've started my own therapy-savings jar!

Autumn light

2011-10-23T00:26:00.001-05:00

Happy Sunday!

gifts from family ~traveled thousands of miles

2011-10-21T07:37:00.000-05:00

Gifts have arrived from overseas.

Admiring her Pinocchio marionette that Baki sent from her recent trip to Rome.

This beautiful ballerina outfit from auntie in Serbia

sunglasses and books also from Baki

These books will be another opportunity for hubby to speak Croatian to Beli. ( more on that later)

A very happy girl indeed.
.
.
PS. yeah it's Friday!...going to work and afterwards will be cooking dinner for three, maybe will try this for dessert? Apple cranberry pie with pecan crumb topping
.
.
What plans do you have this weekend?

Another Roadtrip

2011-10-17T19:51:00.001-05:00

When I was pregnant, hubby and I visited the wild animal sanctuary and this weekend we had the opportunity to visit again, with Beli of course!

she was really happy about seeing all the animals, she just didn't want a photo with me!

What the founder/owner of the sanctuary has done with these animals is amazing: he has provided a safe haven for more than 290 lions, tigers, bears and other carnivores rescued from illegal or abusive situations, (the number has almost doubled from three years ago!)

A three year old tiger, Meeka stole the show. She was full of energy and captivated us with her playful personality. She jumped in the water and chased around a block of ice!

We talked with one of the volunteers and she told us about some of the tigers and where they came from. For example, Meeka was rescued from a home in Minnesota, she was being kept as a 'pet' in the backyard with a chain around her neck. Two others were rescued from a truck stop in Texas where they were roadside attractions and their cubs were sold to motorists who stopped to put gas.

You can also read about the 25 lions rescued from Bolivia here. It's really an inspiring story!

Looks like Gala, (rescued from Mexico when she was only a cub) is enjoying the beautiful Colorado sunshine!

what's your opinion about captive animals?
.
.
I have mixed emotions when I take Beli to the zoo. I wonder if the animals are 'happy'.

Did you know before I choose pharmacy as my career I had first considered becoming a veterinarian?
.
Animals still and will always have a special place in my heart.

A new friend

2011-10-16T00:16:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago our landlord brought home a puppy. Beli stayed behind doors because she is scared of dogs. So when our landlord suggested putting a fence so Beli could continue playing outside but also have contact with the dog, we agreed.

I think she is ok with his presence, in fact they have developed a strong bond. When we call Beli inside to have dinner, the puppy cries and Beli says, "the puppy is all alone!"

Can you see him behind the kitchen window?

And after dinner, she goes back outside to make sure he is ok.

Lunch in Telluride

2011-09-29T09:00:00.000-05:00

The resort town of Telluride might be the ultimate destination for many but for us, it also meant an enjoyable scenic route, through winding mountain roads.

We began our road trip during Labor Day weekend with no particular set agenda. After breakfast in Ouray, we continued driving to the town of Telluride.

We arrived in the midst of the 38th Telluride Film Festival. It was rumored George Clooney and Tilda Swinton would be there to receive some sort of award during the festival.

We walked through the town, admiring the restored Victorian buildings.

Some of the homes were really small!

While riding the free gondola from Telluride to Mountain Village we met film producer, Chris Kobin. He invited us to the premiere of the documentary, Hollywood Don't Surf!

Unfortunately,the showtime at 10pm was too late for us.

We had lunch, picnic style. (Look, we are both wearing pink sweaters! haha)

While we didn't see any Hollywood stars we did meet a few college students who spotted George Clooney and Jennifer Garner!

photo via

After lunch in Telluride we continued driving southwest to the town of Cortez, for our final destination Mesa Verde National Park.

You think we would be tired of all the driving, but like I said, we really enjoyed the scenic drive.
.
.
more about Mesa Verde in another post.

Grape clusters sitting on a vine

2011-09-17T21:39:00.000-05:00

(images from hubby's grandparents farm in Croatia)

All the time I spent living overseas,
and I can't recall the local brands
so I was happy to come across an article about Croatian wines,
you can find the article here
And...
If you live near San Francisco you should try the donkey plavac with a balkan burger!
.

Do you prefer red or white wine?

favorite brand?

.
Have a wonderful weekend!

...
.

Breakfast in Ouray

2011-09-16T14:16:00.000-05:00

this is part one of our road trip to Southwest Colorado.

I had asked some of my friends for advice.

I didn't know if it was feasible to visit 3 to 4 cities in one weekend.

One friend suggested it was possible, but we would be spending most of our time

in the car. And she was right!
Here are some photos along the way.

Drove by the Blue Lake and into the
Black Canyon,

Our first destination

was the town of Ouray,

also known

as the "Switzerland of America."

charming original Victorian structures

A walk around town before breakfast.
Unfortunately, we didn't have time to relax in the Hot Springs Pool

Off to our next destination, Telluride!

Otra vez

2011-09-14T14:40:00.000-05:00

Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado

Chiquitita, dime por que

tu dolor hoy te encadena

en tus ojos hay

una sombra de gran pena.

No quisiera verte asi, aunque quieras disimularlo

si es que tan triste estas para que quieres callarlo.

..tell me what's wrong

you're enchained by

your own sorrow

in your eyes
there is no hope for tomorrow
how I hate to see you like this
there is no way you can deny it
I can see that you're
oh so sad, so quiet

Chiquitita, dimelo tu en mi hombro, aqui llorando cuenta conmigo

ya para asi seguir andando

Tan segura te conoci y ahora tu ala quebrada

dejamela arreglar

yo la quiero ver curada.

.......tell me the truth
I'm a shoulder you can cry on
your best friend
I'm the one you must rely on
you were always sure of yourself
now I see you've broken a feather
I hope we can
patch it up together

Chiquitita, sabes muy bien que las penas vienen y van y desaparecen

otra vez vas a bailar y seras feliz,

como flores que florecen.

No hay que llorar, las estrellas brillan por ti alla en lo alto,

quiero verte sonreir para compartir tu allegria, chiquitita.

....you and I know
how the heartaches
come and they go
and the scars they're leavin'
you'll be dancin' once again
and the pain will end
you will have no time for grievin'

photo taken near Telluride, CO on labor day 2011

Chiquitita
you and I cry
but the sun is still in the sky
and shining above you
let me hear you sing once more
like you did before
sing a new song

:::::

These are the lyrics of a very popular song, Chiquitita.

Have you heard it before?

:::

As you know next month will be a year that Beli's Great-Grandfather passed away.

Today,

the same great heartache is being relived.

Beli's second Great-Grandfather is ill.

That's why I chose this song.

It very well describes the great sadness in my heart.

you and I cry
but the sun is still in the sky
and shining above you
let me hear you sing once more.

one of my dear friends' advice, "celebrate the moments you have now, let there be no regrets."

A daytrip to see a glacier via the fall river road

2011-08-28T00:27:00.000-05:00

A snowball fight in August!

You know me too well. I can't stop discovering my surroundings! We finally had a free weekend for our little family of three. I suggested a hike followed by a picnic.

To get there, we drove about an hour or so west of Denver to the town of Idaho Springs. Then we hiked for less than a mile? Let me tell you, walking uphill at an elevation of 10,000 feet was not easy, but then again I was only carrying our lunch, hubby on the other hand was looking after Beli.

snowboarders descending from the snowfield.

We made it to St. Mary's Glacier.

I noticed many of the trees had its roots spreading outwards.

Collecting flowers.

Time for our picnic.

Enjoying the beautiful view.

Ready for the snowfight?

We are!

We made it back to the parking lot just as it was beginning to rain.

It was a great day! Beli was exhausted and within minutes she fell asleep.

.
.

How is your weekend going?

Colors of Summer

2011-08-24T01:29:00.000-05:00

Lately, have been inspired by arts and crafts.

My friend took her niece to a family art class and invited Beli and I to join them. We happily said yes!

The theme that day was seahorses.

Much talent.

Beli did an amazing job sitting for almost two hours. She kept asking me for more colors.

My friend drawing a seahorse. I wished I had taken a final picture of the painting, it was very cool!

Beli's art work.

Ta, da! this lovely canvas is proudly displayed in our living room. A perfect gift for my birthday!

I had to work on my birthday (it happened last weekend) and I was nicely surprised by hubby and Beli with a cake and candles.

Hubby told me that Beli patiently waited for me to arrive so she could have some cake. Awwww.

I blew the candles and made one wish.

One wish only.

Strangely, I feel that I still have so much to learn about life.

Thank you for all your comments about suggestions for my photos. The packages keep arriving in the mail and I'm running out of space!LOL

I have been so busy adjusting at work that when I come home, I barely have time to make dinner, bond with Beli, and prepare to do it again the following day. Maybe it's because I have been out of the workforce for so long that I still can't accept that this is how it's going to be.

At least, it's a happy chaos!

Beli keeps us grounded.

Her smile, her innocence, her giggles remind me to stay in the present and stop thinking about the past, about what our life was before returning to the States.

Sometimes I feel so isolated.
Strange hu?
....
..

How do you stay in the present?

What keeps you grounded?

windows of a palace

2011-08-03T07:23:00.001-05:00

Wouldn't it be great to live in a palace?

It's possible.

In Split, Croatia.

I'm finally getting around to ordering prints for all the photos I took when we lived overseas.

found a great deal: 9 cent prints with free shipping.

My next debate is this, once I receive the photos do I put them in photo albums, leave them in a box, or only select a few and make a scrapbook. there are thousands.

what are your suggestions?

Thoughts for August~ Alegria y Amor

2011-08-01T00:24:00.003-05:00

Your positive, creative, loving thoughts hold a tremendous power,

far greater than you realize,

for thoughts are power.

Always look on the bright side of life, for the more joy and love you radiate,

the more joy and love will you draw to you.

Love is the key to life.

You hold that key within you.

(quote by Eileen Caddy)

..wishing everyone a wonderful day!

A new month.

New beginnings.

New opportunities.
::::
(It's everything you wanted, it's everything you don't,
It's one door swinging open and one door swinging closed)
::
::

Do you have any special plans for the week? the month?

(Hubby and I begin our new jobs, have a birthday in a couple of weeks,what else? oh yeah, time to start saving for a special trip to Hawaii!!)

this moment

2011-07-29T23:27:00.000-05:00

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.

A simple, special, extraordinary moment.

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

soulemama

Colorado tomatoes and a pretty handmade basket

2011-07-27T09:29:00.000-05:00

On Sunday we went to the farmer's market. Beli helped out in choosing tomatoes.

We noticed this advertisement, we are marking the dates on our calendar. I love watching movies under the stars! don't you?

As we were walking around the market, Beli noticed some hand woven baskets. She asked if she could have one and I said no. As we started walking, I see that she walked away with a huge basket. I returned it to the owner and apologized, but guess what? I got talked into buying one!

Here she is with her pretty handmade basket!

Sunset in July

2011-07-25T06:37:00.003-05:00

NoNo's cafe

2011-07-24T08:30:00.000-05:00

How we came across this restaurant was by pure accident. Earlier in the evening we drove around the neighborhood in search of a playground for Beli. We ended up across town!

It was time to go home and we asked Beli if she needed to potty. She said no, so we left. After a few minutes we reach an busy intersection and Beli tells us that she has to go potty...now. So here we are, on the highway with no gas station in sight!

We are sitting on a red light waiting to turn left and I just hope that there is a place to stop, otherwise we are going to have an accident inside the car. The light turns green and we don't see any gas stations but we do see a cafe, so we stop and I run with Beli inside.

The man in the restaurant was nice enough to point me to the bathroom when I explain I have a kid in need of one. When we come out, Beli is a happy kid once again and since we are at a restaurant she informs us that she is hungry. We are still about half an hour away from home and it's getting late so we decide to stay for dinner. The same man that was very helpful walked us to a both and handed us the menu. In fact, he was one of the chefs!

sample of dishes served, it was on the house!

basket of bread with spicy dipping sauce.

I ordered the Monica smothered catfish. It was spicy! Yum.

Hubby ordered jambalaya.

Grilled cheese sandwich for Beli.

Bread pudding for dessert!

Hubby with one of the chefs.

Great service, kid friendly, and very good food from New Orleans. We are coming back for sure! The menu at Nono's (means Grandpa in Italian) changes every 3 weeks so by then we should find something new for our taste buds!

2011-07-22T08:17:00.000-05:00

out for a leisure walk

what a lovely sight

have a wonderful day my friends!

The simple moments of life

2011-07-18T22:34:00.000-05:00

Why oh why

2011-07-17T18:18:00.000-05:00

"Have no fear of moving into the unknown."---Eileen Caddy

Do you meditate? For my birthday I received a book about daily meditations and it has been quite helpful, because everyday when I open its pages it somehow speaks to me. Like this phrase: "Do you feel that if you were somewhere else all would be well and you would be at peace?"
Earlier in the week, I had one of those days of self pity and involved lots of complaining. I felt guilty for feeling this way. So I did something about it. I applied for a new job!

But why am I complaining. Why? Why can't I see the big picture on those days when I'm drowning in self-pity? What more should I be doing? If you have any suggestions can you pass them along?

Meditation for today:

Instead of fighting against my circumstances, I will learn to flow with them and I will strive to find harmony and balance within.

Concert at the Park

2011-07-15T12:33:00.000-05:00

A new favorite place to visit is the Southglenn mall. I think I have mentioned this place before. In fact, when my sister was visiting here last week we took the kids to the movie theater when the admission tickets were half off. ( I guess I forgot to post those photos, reminder me I have to share them with you)

Well, a few days ago we went out for some ice cream and we arrived to the sound of saxophones and trumpets. What a delight!

And shortly after, it started to rain! Very typical Colorado weather nowadays.

rain mixed with hail

We waited about 10 minutes, it stopped raining, the sun came out and the concert resumed.

Enjoying a scoop of strawberry skateboard ice cream (strawberries with gummy bears, rainbow sprinkles and marshmallows)

The band, soul school, was amazing! I captured a few videos but had a difficult time uploading them. I'm sure you can find them on youtube.

Have a wonderful day. I'm off to a fun place (the playground) with Beli.

2011-07-11T10:47:00.000-05:00

expecting rain

iced tea

preparing sandwiches for lunch

Ollie, my friend's dog. He was very patient with Beli

A great Sunday afternoon with friends.
They own a home in the countryside. I love the view they have.
Nature everywhere.

How was your weekend?

Photos~ postcard style (Greetings from Colorado)

2011-07-09T19:10:00.000-05:00

Summer days

Memories created

Denver, Colorado

2011

Photographs of Split

2011-07-07T12:05:00.001-05:00

wondering who the photographer is.
any idea?

we went to eat at noodles and company and noticed the framed pictures on the walls.

these two caught my attention. (actually it was hubby that noticed the city and country handwritten on the photographs.)

And you know who took the photos below. hehe

Fish Market

And on a side note, I just read that Croatia's beaches ranked 2nd in Europe for cleanliness.

A pizzeria where you feel like ~ un membro della nostra famiglia

2011-07-05T00:17:00.003-05:00

This holiday weekend my sister and her family visited us from Iowa. On of the nights, we went out to eat for dinner. There were a total of 8 of us: four kids and four adults so we decided it was best to go to a family restaurant and have pizza.

We chose Virgilio's, after watching an episode on Food Network. We met the owner of the restaurant, a native of Naples, Italy when he came around the tables to see if everyone was enjoying their food. You can read more about the restaurant here.

photo with the owner

We ordered spicy mussels with garlic knots, mozarella sticks, pizza, spaghetti, fresh mozarella and tomato salad, and dessert! Everything tasted really good. Friendly service. We definitely felt like a member of the family.

Beli really enjoyed spending time with her cousins. There were also visits to the zoo, an amusement park, the pool, fireworks and more food!

I kinda felt left out as I worked all weekend and only saw them in the evening for a couple of hours. But my sister took lots of photos so I will be posting them later this week. Did you go to see fireworks? And for my friends overseas, how was your weekend?

2011-07-01T10:42:00.001-05:00

This month we have a friend visiting from Croatia. One of our favorite places to visit is Colorado Springs, about an hour south of Denver, as there are many attractions there. Our initial intent was to drive up to Pike's Peak but the road was closed due to a race (we learned this when we made a pit stop for some ice cream) and we were wonderfully surprised by this vintage inspired cafe. Howdy, donald duck!

First time at the Cave of the Winds.

We only admired the kids climbing here. Would you try it?

Beli insisted on a photo by the water.

Hiking trail below. It was in the upper 90s so going into the cave was very refreshing.

After the caves we drove near by to the Garden of the Gods park.

Holding the rock all by herself!

kissing camels

Catch me if you can.

And we ended the day with a concert at the park.

The lake, a boat and much fun

2011-06-28T08:04:00.000-05:00

This weekend we were invited by some friends to go on a boat ride. Weather was perfect and I didn't have to work. yay! (I'm still adjusting to working 12 hour shifts, because they really become 16 hour days, luckily the following day is a rest day so I can't complain much).

Beli changed into her bathing suit and she was ready.

View of the city.

One of our friends' daughters is wake boarding? (I thought this sport was called water boarding, but then again, I don't know much about water sports...)
She made it look so easy!

Have you ever tried it?

All I did was sun tan and take photos.

summer days

2011-06-27T11:21:00.000-05:00

Summer days are here.

sunshine and smiles.

a keeper of books

2011-06-18T00:29:00.000-05:00

I still can't bear to get rid of my college books.

I think part of me keeps them to remind myself of how far I've come. Is this silly of me?

Other books I've read on my free time and they can be found all over our apartment! Have you read any of them?

I really need to make a commitment to begin my Croatian lessons once again. The books are collecting dust! I only have four to five months before my Mother-in-law (hopefully) visits us and I don't want to rely on hubby as our translator. I just need more hours in my day! I had forgotten how exhausting (retail work) can be, so on my actual free time, I just want to sit and not think! And speaking of work, I'm grateful for my job, but I can't stop complaining about it. My friend's advice, "Welcome to America!"

I'm working tomorrow through next weekend, but hopefully I can squeeze some time to tell you about a meetup I attended with Beli and meeting one of the co-founders of Spanglishbaby.com.

stay tuned..

Have a wonderful weekend!

busy little bee

2011-06-12T09:10:00.000-05:00

Add caption

First week of preschool.

Beli not so happy to go to 'school' after the second day.

New routines, new ideas.

I completed my first week of training on the job.

Embracing every single moment of my free time to be with hubby and Beli.

Saturday morning arrived and Beli announced she didn't want to go to school.

We tried to explain that it's the weekend and it's a stay at home day, not sure she understood,

because when we told her we were going to the playground she insisted on staying home!

After some convincing we left the house to go to another 'fun' place (the park).

We don't want to give her the idea that school is not fun.

She dressed herself and off we went!
.
.
How is your weekend so far?

2011-06-10T21:32:00.000-05:00

I love this phone!
I thought it was just for decoration when I was saw it at my Aunt's house. She told me that it's her actual house phone and she still uses it from time to time.
Do you have a house line or solely rely on your cell phone for your phone calls?

Our mini trip to see all sorts of animals and amazing mountain views

2011-06-07T22:11:00.000-05:00

"We are going to see giraffes, and.....more giraffes," was Beli's reply when we asked her where we were going. This weekend we drove one hour south of Denver to the zoo in Colorado Springs. We had beautiful weather and breathtaking views (more about the zoo here).

Tucked in the mountains, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is a must on your list of~ things to do in Colorado. We were going specifically to hand feed the giraffes and we weren't disappointed. It was a very unique experience. Beli initially fed them crackers but then she wanted to keep her distance.

We spent about 5 hours walking and taking in the beautiful views. Beli was a real trooper. She walked and walked and never once complained.

We missed going to the top of the mountain, do you see the tower? We weren't sure what it was until the end of our zoo tour when we asked one of the girls at the gift shop and she told us it's the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun. The road up there is suppose to offer spectacular views of the Rocky Mountain range. I'm sure we'll be returning later in the summer or early fall when my sisters visit us with their kids.

Beli feeding the baby giraffe, yet keeping an eye on the other giraffe!

Beli's request to me, "Mami, take a picture."

She was so happy to see the horses (horzees, as she calls them). I asked her is she wanted to ride a horse and she said yes. I felt so emotional watching her, she looked so grown-up, yet only 3 years old!

First pony ride. she was so brave, not scared at all.

petting a baby wallaby.

A beautiful day.

First day of work went fine. Lots of forms to fill out, training, etc. Why was I worried? LOL thank you for all your good wishes. Beli is also adapting well at her new school. Hubby drops her off and picks her up. She is learning new rules (like at lunch time, Hubby said all the kids wait until everyone is served to start eating, but not Beli, she starts eating right away. One of the boys said, "look teacher, she is not waiting." And another kid said, "it's OK, she doesn't know the rules." She is not napping either, rather she patiently and quietly waits for the other kids to wake up from their naps. It's all new for her and for us ,but I think it's also nice for her to socialize with other kids her age, right?

Beli's pancakes and my outfit is ready for tomorrow

2011-06-05T16:10:00.000-05:00

This morning Beli and I woke up before hubby. After drinking coffee, I began thinking about breakfast.

I have to eat within an hour of waking up. As far as I can remember, that's the way it's been.

Sundays I love to prepare pancakes, somewhat of my own tradition I have created for our small family of three.

I pulled out my recipe for homemade pancakes but soon realized I had to tweak it a bit.

Our pantry and fridge are low on groceries (which reminds me, I should add milk to the list).

Beli loves to be in the kitchen so when she asked me, "Mami can I help?"

I joyful replied, "por supuesto," of course!

Greek yogurt and granola to go along with the pancakes.

I will post the original recipe (sorry I can't remember where I found it) along with the substitutions I made.

Hope you enjoy Beli's pancakes!

Recipe for Beli's Pancakes.

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour. I substituted 1/2 cup with oat flour ( I simply put raw, old-fashioned oatmeal in the blender)
3 1/2 tsp baking powder (I used 3 tsp, because that's all I had in the pantry!)
1 tsp salt
1 TBSP sugar
1 1/4 milk ( I used soy milk)
1 egg
3 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla
Sift flour twice for fluffier pancakes. In another container beat egg,vanilla, then butter and milk
Mix dry ingredients and in the center pour wet ingredients and mix until smooth.

I found the mix a bit salty. I don't know if due to using oatmeal, or maybe the soy milk?
We used nutella and Beli happily ate several pancakes. Next time I will have to tweak the recipe once more.

I also have my outfit all ready for my first day of work tomorrow.

It's all about making good first impressions right?
I had to go shopping because the last time I wore business attire was two years ago!

I'm nervous yet happy about returning to work.
It will be fine, I'll be fine. We'll be fine. (It's also Beli's first day of pre-school.)
.
.
.

Trousers from Express- editor style, black blouse from Target, Hinge blazer from Nordstrom, necklace was a gift, shoes purchased in Croatia.

2011-06-04T00:08:00.001-05:00

photos taken on the roof balcony of our local library

As much as I would love to sit and soak in the sun, we are off to another mini day trip.

p.s. I start my job on Monday!

A visit to the kid's doctor

2011-06-03T09:34:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I took Beli to her pediatrician for her annual checkup. According to my records she didn't need any vaccines, but what do I know? I have been out of the country for two years. In Croatia, after seeing three different pediatricians they all said NO to my request for the flu shot for Beli. It's considered unnecessary until children are older, and I will add that Beli never had to see a physician while we lived overseas...hmmmm, made me wonder which health care system is better.

So there we are, Beli and I at the doctor's office. The nurse orders Beli to step on the weight scale and Beli shouts that she doesn't want to and starts crying. Then we walk to a patients room. Beli is already upset and as her Mami, I know she is not a happy camper, so I try to soothe her and tell her it will be ok. Then the nurse informs me that she will have to do a very small blood test to check for anemia. Oh boy!

Later, much later, the physician comes in and finishes the exam and a nurse comes in with two needles. By now she is distracted drawing, then the nurse preps her arm, one injection then the second one. Someone, please get me a box of tissues~ I can hardly contain myself. I want to cry along with Beli. But I don't. For her sake. The nurse tells me she is finished, exits the room and leaves Beli and I to comfort each other. I whisper in her ear that I know it hurts and it will get better, but all she wants is Daddy. She wants to show Daddy her 'owies'.

We arrive home and she runs to Daddy as she screams "look Daddy, I have two owies."

I tell hubby "I also need a hug," as I proceed to tell him about our morning at the doctor's office. I show him the pain in my heart. How frustrating it was. What may be a daily routine for nurses (giving shots, drawing blood), turned out to be a painful experience for my 3-year old.

And then hours later, she is dancing around the house, happy as can be!

Let's Grill

2011-06-02T08:26:00.000-05:00

This weekend while in Texas, we had several cookouts with my family.
On one of the days, my aunt prepared a huge meal: grilled meat, corn, a macaroni salad, rice, salsa, pico de gallo, and she even baked a cake! We call it the pineapple cake, but I think it's known by other names. (it's vanilla flavor and toppings include: crushed pineapple, sweet condensed milk mixed with heavy cream, coconut, pecans and cherries!) It was very good. So good in fact, that I didn't have time to take more photos. It literally disappeared from my plate within seconds!

Are you planning to cook on the grill this summer?

I'd love to hear what's on the menu.

Any favorite recipes?